


where in the world is nicole?

by raddoc



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Earp sisters, F/F, Family, Kidnapping, Nonconsensual Touching, Torture, True Love, but has a happy ending, fierce nicole, fierce waverly, how can anyone so badass be so soft, like realllly dark, nicole is so brave and defiant, this gets dark, this may be a shitshow but its OUR shitshow, waverly keeps it together even tho she wants to crumble, wayhaught for life, wynonnas got everyones back
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-04-25 22:32:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14388468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raddoc/pseuds/raddoc
Summary: Nicole is kidnapped by thugs, waverly and the gang stop at nothing to get her back





	1. Chapter 1

Waverly wandered not so discretely out of BBD head-quarters into the hallway looking for a particular ginger deputy. She sighed softly, disappointed. Even though Nicole had texted her letting her know she would be out on patrol, waverly still frowned at the empty desk. She scrunched her eyebrows together. She felt like she barely even saw her girlfriend these days. I mean sure there was the whole possession thing, Nicole almost dying thing, the world almost ending thing and the ever present earp curse…but still.  
Waverly tsked and turned abruptly back to BBD office. She had work to finish because the instant her brave, sweet, gentle, strong…waverly shook her head determinedly. The instant Nicole came home that night waverly intended to be there to jump her bones and make her forget about everything except waverlys name…waverly smiled and shook her head to focus. She had incredible focus when she needed it.

 

Nicole eyed the vehicle cautiously. Shed ran the plates and it was registered to a rental company from the city. There was nothing out of the ordinary about this car or the driver, but Nicole shifted in her seat. She felt uneasy, a misgiving in the pit of her stomach. The way the car had seemed to be waiting for her, waiting until they could see her face before taking off and committing several (intentional?) traffic violations…

Nicole radioed the car in to the station then stepped out of her cruiser with a calming breath. She unsnapped her holster just in case and kept a hand on her gun as she slowly approached. Suddenly her head whipped behind her as she heard the crunch of gravel of a car roaring up behind her then she saw another car rolling from where it had hidden behind a large rock outcropping in front of her.

Nicole acted instantly. She drew her gun and reached for her radio as she retreated back towards her squad car as fast as she could while trying to keep all threats in her line of sight. 

“this is deputy haught. 477 in prog-“

A shot rang out before she could finish and she slammed into the gravely road, stunned. For several seconds she tried to draw breath back into her body as a man stood and jumped down from the rocks, a rifle slung casually over his shoulder.

“Damn that felt good.” He said ruefully with a shake of his head. 

Nicole was finally able to fill her lungs and feel her body again. her vest had stopped the bullet but she felt like shed been hit by a truck. Then adrenaline kicked in and she leapt to her feet. But before she could, hands were on her and a taser pressed against her neck forcing her down once more. Rough hands bound her ankles and hands behind her back. Then the man with the rifle swaggered up and stood looking down at her with a cold, satisfied smile.

“Hello Haught. Its been a while.” The fierceness in his eyes belied his nonchalant tone. Nicoles eyes widened slowly then she saw nothing as he slammed the butt of the rifle down on her face. 

Nicole came to with a start. She kept her eyes closed to try not to give away the fact that she was awake. She also tried not to groan because her entire chest ached and throbbed in what was surely a raging new bruise and her face felt like it had been split in two. 

Nicole let her senses explore beyond her immediate hurts. She was lying mostly face down on cold concrete floor. She was still fully dressed but her utility belt and radio were gone and she could feel thick, metallic chains around her wrists. She risked opening her eyes and suppressed a shiver at the luring face of the man in front of her.  
“Good.” He said eagerly. “Now we can begin,” he said almost as if they were colleagues in a board meeting. 

Nicole rolled slightly, painfully and saw she was in a large, mostly abandoned wharehouse. She was chained to a pillar and several men lounged around. There were no identifying markers, no windows to show landmarks, no unique sounds or smells. Nothing to tell where she was. Nicole whipped her eyes back to the man in front of her. 

He smiled patronizingly. “Don’t worry. We’re alone out here. No one will ever find you.”

Nicole held her breath as she forced herself slowly up into a sitting position and flicked her eyes around the room. She winced and swallowed a groan. God, her chest hurt. And her head. Her head pounded.

The man noticed her pain and smiled widely. “Don’t worry Haught. We’ve just started. And we have so much more to do before the end.”

Nicole stared, unable to look away. She swallowed her throat suddenly painfully dry and her heart thumped wildly in her chest. But she narrowed her eyes. she couldn’t let herself be afraid. Or alteast she couldn’t let herself show her fear.

“Ah. Where are my manners?” the man asked clasping his hands together and taking a step towards Nicole. “Im donnie. I believe you may have known my brother mikey.” He looked at her sideways. “Since you are the one who killed him.”

Nicole clenched her jaw. She’d known the instant shed seen him come towards her. he was Donnie ‘the Don’ Regaleti whod apparently taken over the family business after shed been forced to shoot his older brother during the take down raid with the organized crime unit back in the city. 

She eyed him then the others behind him. “Yeah. And mikey would be so sad to see you’ve turned to a life of crime. He tried so hard to keep you out of it.”

Donnie stood up straighter and hissed. “well thanks to you I didn’t have much of a choice.”

Nicole raised an eyebrow. “theres always a choice.”

The mans stare intensified and burned into Nicole, then suddenly he laughed a deep throated laugh from his gut that made Nicole want to flinch away. He eyed Nicole gleefully. “We are going to have sooo much fun.” Nicole felt her skin crawl at the way he looked at her like a fresh cut steak just waiting to be devoured. 

 

Waverly ducked out into the hallway. She hummed quietly to herself as she went to refill her coffee cup. She ignored the buzz and static of the radio until she heard nicoles voice, insistent and urgent. She froze and her head whipped towards the radio. “This is deputy haught. 477 in prog-“ Her voice cut off abruptly and waverly almost beat the desk sergeant to the radio who responded, alarmed.

“Deputy! Come in. Repeat, come in. Haught whats happening!?” silence. Waverly looked desperately between the radio and the desk sargent. Everything seemed to stand still except the sudden racing of her heart as she unconsciously held her breath. Then the static lessened like when someones about to respond and waverly knew Nicole was okay. She was about to tell them it was a misunderstanding and everything was fine. 

But what she heard next knocked the wind from her and she had to reach for the desk to keep her knees from giving out. “Im sorry, but Deputy Haught cant answer right now. in fact, Nicole is going to be busy for quite some time…but don’t worry ill be sure to leave her somewhere you can find her…” Then there was nothing but radio static. 

The desk sergeant looked up at waverly horrified. He continued to try to reach whomeverd been speaking but waverly knew it was no use. She sagged further onto desk and she tried to draw in a breath but couldn’t. her mind was screaming and it felt like her world was tilting. He had Nicole. Nicole. Nicole.

The desk sergeant threw the radio down in frustration and finally noticed waverly who looked like she was on the verge of passing out. He grabbed her by the shoulders and peered into her face.

This seemed to wake waverly out of whatever desperate place shed been and she snapped back, her eyes fervent. “Wynonna!” she yelled as loudly as she could. “Wynonna! Doc! Dolls!” she turned as their frantic foot steps approached. She took a step towards them. 

“He has her!” waverly exclaimed quickly. “Nicole. They have her and…I think theyre going to kill her.” 

“Whoa. Slow down baby girl. Whatd you mean?”

Waverly stepped forward and grasped wynonnas arms, desperate to hold onto something, to make wynonna understand.

“She called on the radio. Something was happening then the line went dead.”

“Well,” Wynonna started.

“Then someone else answered! You know how Nicole is about her radio. I mean she wont even let me use it.” wynonnas mouth quirked in agreement. “Then… then he said that Nicole couldn’t answer that” waverly scrunched her nose trying to remember his exact words. “Nicole is going to be busy for quite some time. But don’t worry, I will be sure to leave her somewhere you can find her...” waverly trailed off her eyes wide, terrified, staring at wynonna.

Wynonnas own eyes widened and she felt waverlys panic begin to fill her. she looked to Dolls. Hed been standing arms crossed one hand on his chin listening intently. At wynonnas glance he straightened up. 

“Right. has sheriff Nedly been appraised of the situation?” the desk sargent shook his head. “Well, do so. Immediately.” But as he turned Dolls grabbed his arm. “We need the location of deputy haughts car and all log activity from today as well as access to any survailance cameras in town.” The man blinked at Dolls.

“But I cant just-“ Dolls towered over him and pulled up his badge and leaned in to whisper without ever breaking eye contact. “NOW!”

The man nodded. He scrambled to pile all his notes on haughts activities in front of Dolls and fumbled with his radio to inform the sheriff. 

Dolls grabbed the notes then looked at the others. “I need Doc and Wynonna to go check out the scene. Waverly, Jeremy and I will coordinate from here checking files, notes, and tapes as they become available. 

“I want to go.”

“No,” all the others said in unison.

“I need you here,” Dolls explained. “Im going to need help going through data. No mention of the Earps, peacemaker, he knew her by name. This sounds personal. I think they are human not revenant so we need to look through deputy haughts recent activities. See if anyone has grudges or reasons to wish her harm.”

“But everyone loves Nicole.” Waverly said softly with a tilt of her head.

Wynonna smiled and hugged her sister. She knew one person who certainly did. Then she quickly turned and grabbed Doc. “We’ll call the second we know anything.” Then they ran out. 

Waverly turned to Dolls holding her breath without realizing it. “Nicoles phone? Should I call her?”

“No. if it is still on and with her, we do not want to alert them to its presence.” Dolls turned to Jeremy. “Do you think you can track its location?” 

Jeremy shifted and started spewing technical phrases until Dolls cut him off with an icy stare. “Maybe. Maybe.” 

Dolls nodded and turned back to waverly. “Do you remember Deputy Haught mentioning any altercations or difficulties with anyone?”

Waverly shook her head and began to pace. “No. I mean Nicole got-gets, gets along with everyone.” Then she stopped and turned remembering. “Tucker. She knew he was trouble…but hes dead.” She squeezed her eyes shut, frustrated.

“okay.” Dolls reassured her. “That’s a good start. Can you think of any others?”

Waverly turned away then took a deep breath. She had to quiet that part of her brain thatd been screaming since shed heard nicoles voice cut off. She needed to focus. Nicole needed her and waverly wasn’t going to let her down. Waverly turned back to Dolls pale, but determined. He nodded in approval.

“I cant think of anyone else.” Waverly stated firmly.

“I will start to go through her call log and you start on the files.” Waverly nodded and without a word went to nicoles desk. She swallowed quickly and felt her heart start to crumble at the cute mug shed gotten Nicole sitting next to her carefully organized paper clips and pencil holder and went to work.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole has been captured by a thug intent on revenge and the gang do their best to find her
> 
>  
> 
> TW: This gets violent and there is some nonconsensual touching (NO assault)

Nicole hissed as the chain sprang tight and wrenched her violently upwards. She slammed against the column and struggled to get her feet underneath her as her arms stretched, trapped above her head. She gasped as her bruised ribs protested cruelly. She watched filled with trepidation as Donnie slowly approached then grabbed Nicole around the throat and dug a hand viciously into her hair wrenching her head back. “Im going to repay you for all the pain you caused me. And. Then. some.” He squeezed brutally cutting off her air.

Nicole didn’t think she just reacted and brought her knee up as hard as she could into his crotch. He howled and shuffled away bent over.

Nicole sucked in a breath and grinned wolfishly her eyes hard. He glared murder at her. still slumped over he shouted at his henchmen. “Chain her feet you imbeciles!” 

They rushed to comply, grabbing heavy chains and trying to attach them to nicoles ankles but she kicked savagely at anyone who approached. She caught one goon square in the face and broke anothers outstretched fingers. They cursed loudly until someone had the brains to sneak up behind her and taze her into compliance.

“Do I have to do everything?!” she heard Donnie yell as she hung limply, clinging to consciousness. She breathed raggedly as her torso screamed in protest and it felt like her arms pulled out of her sockets.

They finished chaining her feet to the pillar and the one whose face shed smashed returned the favor. He struck her once, twice before Donnie called him off-only he was going to enjoy this prize.

Nicoles vision went white and her head snapped back against the pillar accentuating each blow. Her teeth clacked together and for a moment she forgot how to breathe.  
When she was able to see again she saw them watching her, waiting for her reaction. So she forced herself to smile. “you know, if you hit a little harder, id say you could hit like a girl.”

“Why you little-“ Crushed Face started forward but Donnie stopped him with a hand. He chuckled again, gazing at Nicole. “Like I said. This is going to be so much fun.”

 

Waverly grabbed for her phone. “wynonna!”

“Hey baby girl,” wynonnas voice sounded grim.

“what?! What did you find?”

“we found nicoles car right where shed left it. and evidence several other cars had been here.”

Waverly tried to keep her breathing even as it felt as though her heart was beating out of her chest. “Doc! Doc can track them though, right?” there was a short pause. Waverly glanced desperately at Dolls.

“I will do my utmost best to locate our dear miss haught. However, I feel obliged to say that this may be beyond even my considerable skills.”

Waverly turned away and struggled for a moment before she was able to respond. “Do the best you can Doc. Please.” And hung up. She placed her hands on her knees and tried to breathe. The thought of someone having Nicole, doing terrible things to her, was enough to break waverly. If something happened to Nicole, if they weren’t able to save her…Waverly shuddered and drew in a rattling breath. Then she grit her jaw and stood up. No. She would not allow that to happen. She clenched her fists together and turned back with increased focus. They were going to find Nicole. And she was going to be just fine. 

 

Nicole sagged back against the pillar. Everything hurt. Her head throbbed, her chest ached so bad it was hard to breathe. Her face had become a canvas of interesting colors, full of bruises and blood. It radiated heat and seemed to pulse in time with her frantic heart. Donnie back handed her again causing a fresh bloom of pain and more blood to trickle down her face from her split lip.  
“I asked you a question,” he reminded her. “What is the passcode to your phone?”

Nicole shifted upright and glared at him. “Your mom.” She spat defiantly.

Donnie tisked. “Now was there any reason to bring my mother into this?” Nicole just continued to glare at him as she tried to breathe without pain. He sighed. “the more you resist the sooner this escalates.” He warned her. he paused then snapped his finger. One of the henchmen produced a pair of pliers with an evil smile. 

“0908” Nicole said grudgingly.

Donnie input it then smiled at her when the phone unlocked. “See that wasn’t so bad.” He glanced back at the screen. “Well, now who is this lovely?”

Nicole grit her teeth. She knew he was looking at the picture of waverly that was her screensaver.

He started scrolling through all of her photos, making comments as he went. Nicole clenched her teeth harder and harder. 

“Damn Haught. Im impressed. You’re girlfriend is gorgeous. I mean im assuming that’s your girlfriend since you two are making out in this one. A little cliché don’t you think?” he held the phone out for her to see but she refused to respond. “Still, those are some great photos you have there.” he held her gaze as he came closer to Nicole, who eyed him suspiciously. He turned to look briefly at his goons then back at her. “You know, I think im a pretty good photographer as well. Isn’t that right boys?” he called over his shoulder.   
There were immediate murmurs of agreements.

“how about I add some? Shall i?” 

Nicoles nostrils flared. He held the phone and she looked away as he snapped a photo.

“Now, now. that wont do.” He admonished. “look at the camera. Give your pretty girlfriend something to remember you by.” Nicole glared hatefully at him. He chuckled and snapped away with her phone. “there it is. But I think we can do better.” 

He slipped the phone in his pocket and came slowly towards her. Nicole unconsciously tried to back up as he invaded her personal space. He grinned, his face inches from hers. She held still. This was her chance. He may kill her, but by god, she wasn’t going to make it easy for him.

Nicoles eyes narrowed and she lunged forward and bit down as hard as she could. Shed been aiming for his throat but he ducked sideways at the last second and somehow she ended up taking a chunk out of his ear.

Donnie screamed flailing back both hands clutched at his now incomplete ear. Nicole spit his ear chunk at him and barred her bloody teeth triumphantly.

He shook his head and his face darkened. Nicole didn’t have any chance to defend herself from the brutal onslaught of blows that followed. They rained down striking her bruised chest, slamming into her stomach, smashing her face, cracking her ribs, breaking her nose. Donnie struck and struck until he was gasping for breath and Nicole was clinging to consciousness once again. her breath was ragged and her blood dripped slowly down onto the cold concrete floor. Her knees gave out and she slowly sagged against the pillar, hanging by the metal cutting savagely into her wrists which were still tied above her head. 

Then Donnie seemed to calm down again, took her phone out of his pocket, yanked her limp head back and took several pics of his handywork. He let her head loll back and took a few more. 

“whew, I think waverly is going to love my photos.” His goons snickered in agreement. 

Nicole managed to weakly lift her head at her darlings name. she blinked as he took another photo. 

 

Waverly shifted impatiently. Jeremy had come through with a location of nicoles phone and the team was about to storm the castle, as it were, to rescue her knight in shining armor, her Nicole. Nicole. Nicole. 

“Remember baby girl. Whatever we do, we have to wait for the signal or we wont have an exit.” Waverly nodded but she wasn’t really listening. All she knew was that Nicole was somewhere in that wharehouse. Nicole. Nicole. Nicole. Waverly needed to get to her. she climbed into the broken vent shaft that was their entrance and set off without waiting for wynonna. 

Wynonna watched her sister with trepidation, almost afraid of the impenetrable, single minded focus consuming waverly. For the first time she could remember, wynonna felt like she couldn’t reach her sister, that waverly was all but lost to her even though she was still right in front of wynonna. 

 

Donnie approached again yanking Nicoles head back, forcing her to look at him. He slid a finger down her bruised cheek leaving a streak in the blood. She couldn’t help but shudder and tried to jerk away. His hands dug harder into her hair and he chuckled. His finger trailed revoltingly down her exposed throat to the top of her uniform. Nicole felt her heart start to race and her stomach flipped sickeningly. 

He leaned in and smelled her just below the ear. She shivered and pushed back against the column unconsciously trying to get away. He chuckled again. he leaned back slightly and stared her in the eyes as he took both hands and ripped her shirt open. Nicole jerked and squeezed her eyes shut momentarily and looked away. 

He whistled appreciatively. “Haught Damn, girl.” He grabbed her by the hair again and yanked her forwards as he slid a hand to nicoles hip. He brought her face towards his, forcing every inch of her to protest in pain and disgust. He watched her face intently the whole time, delighting in what he saw. Then he licked the side of her face. Nicole stiffened and a repulsed hiss escape her mouth. Then he slowly, torturously ran his hand up, sliding over her belly button, her firm stomach, her toned torso to roughly squeeze her breast through her bra. Nicole shuddered then spat at him furiously.

He stepped back with a wide smile and slowly wiped away her spittle. he brought her phone back out. “how bout a few more shots for dear waverly.” He pulled nicoles shirt back even further exposing more skin then took several more pictures. Nicole felt a sickening burning in the pit of her stomach. She hoped waverly would never have to see those photos. Of her. like this. Helpless to such a horrible man, being toyed with…she grit her jaw and looked away. She squeezed her eyes shut refusing to let any tears fall. These bastards would not get to see her cry. Waverly would not get to see any photos of that. 

 

Waverly slid out of the shaft gracefully and raced forward to hide behind some crates. Wynonna followed just behind. Waverly moved with a cold, steely determination that was so unlike her normal bubbly self. But wynonna knew theyd have to get across a largely empty warehouse without being seen by the several men holding Nicole.  
She heard voices and hoped it meant they were distracted and maybe the noise would cover their approach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the first thing he would have done would be to ditch nicoles phone but it was a great way to see what a complete monster he is, and it was just easier for the team to find her this way than looking for her files, security tapes etc.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donnie continues, intent with his torture, but the team is there to rescue nicole. Will it be in time??? (Of course it will. Nicole is part of the unkillable gay squad!)

“you see this Nicole?” Donnie asked as he pulled out a pocket knife and slowly opened it. 

Nicole eyed him without responding. He lunged forward and held her by her hair. He brought the knife up to her eyelevel for her to see. “this was my dear brothers. I wanted to share it with you.” Nicole stared hatefully at him, refusing to look at the knife, refusing to be intimidated.

He trailed it down her skin, teasingly but Nicole refused to flinch away. She glared murder at him. Donnie frowned. He continued to drag the knife along her skin, sometimes pushing hard enough to cut and other times not. Nicole forced herself not to recoil away so he began to press harder. Soon she had a trail of shallow cuts all over her exposed skin. Still she refused to respond. 

Then she hissed as he slashed deeply at her collar bone. She suppressed a groan as he gouged line down her exposed triceps from elbow to armpit. She finally did jerk back as he left a nasty four inch gash on her side. Nicole felt the blood from her various wounds start to seep and leave rivulets of blood trailing down her body. 

Donnie brought the knife back up to her face, now red with her own blood. “I wonder if your pretty waverly will still love you when she sees you when we’re done,” he mused. He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Hmm? What do you think? Will she love you with your skin marred? Your face?”

Nicole refused to answer and tried to ignore him, tried to immerse herself in waverly. She thought of waverlys goodness, her sweet friendliness, her infectious enthusiasm and optimism. She thought of the way her face scrunched slightly when she was concentrating. Nicole never ceased to be amazed at how smart her girlfriend was, and how sexy that smartness made her. Nicole thought of waverlys lips and how soft they were and how perfect they tasted…

Nicole gasped. A sharp slap brought her to her senses. Donnie pulled out a lighter and held it up to the blade. Nicole watched with sickening horror. she knew what was coming next. The blade began to glow orange and her blood sizzled on it from the heat.

Nicoles breath came too fast and she shifted, trying futilely to loosen her bonds.

Donnie saw and stepped closer with an arrogant smirk. “Whats the matter haught, too hot for you?”

Before Nicole could retort, he pressed the white hot blade against her side just above her hip. Nicole couldn’t help it. she screamed. And screamed and screamed and screamed. It ripped from her and she bucked and swung and struggled to get away from the blade scorching her flesh. Still she screamed forever and ever until finally, mercifully the blade was drawn away.

Nicole hung limply. She panted and half sobbed trying to regain herself. 

 

As soon as waverly heard that terrible, primal, agonized scream, nicoles scream, waverly ran forward.

Wynonna lunged and grabbed her sister before waverly could react and shoved her to a row of crates along the side wall that should allow them to get close enough without being seen.

Waverly struggled mindlessly, captured by nicoles scream. Nothing else existed in that moment except Nicole and waverlys need to get to her. Wynonna used all her strength and fighting skill to restrain her frantic sister. She grabbed waverly by the chin and forced her to look at her. Finally the blind panic drained from waverlys eyes and slowly clarity returned. She drew in a deep breath and clutched to wyonna for strength. Wynonna indicated the best path to take with her eyes.

Waverly nodded desperately then sprinted off with wynonna following once more. They got close enough they could see just what was happening. Waverly took in nicoles chained form, her bruised and bloodied face, her ripped open uniform, her horribly bruised torso littered with so many cuts and a fresh, ugly looking burn. She saw her girl friend slumped weakly, trying valiantly to control her ragged breathing. Waverlys fingers clenched to the crate in front of her and waverly grit her teeth so hard she saw stars. The sight of that horrid man standing in front of Nicole, taunting her, torturously heating the blade again, made her squeeze the crate so ferociously she thought it might break. Only wynonnas cautionary hand on her shoulder kept her where she was. 

 

Donnie brought the knife and lighter even closer. “you burned a hole in my heart, nicole. Now im going to do the same to you,” he whispered.

“No!” Nicole couldn’t help but plead before he pressed the knife cruelly into the flesh above her left breast. She bucked and her head snapped back as she screamed, somehow both guttural and high pitched at the same time. She twisted and desperately tried to shy away from the thing burning into her very soul. She shook and slammed herself back and twisted and turned but there was no escape. 

Nicole screamed all the while, unconsciously trying to expel her excruciating agony through her raw sounds that ripped from her throat.

 

Wynonna grabbed waverly by both shoulders to keep her in place. Her heart broke at nicoles torture and at the tears streaming unawares down waverlys face. But they had no choice. They had to wait. 

Waverly tried to run to Nicole but wynonna captured her in an iron embrace. She felt Nicoles scream pierce her to her core. She couldn’t breathe, think, exist while that scream existed. Waverly keened softly without realizing it and wynonna covered waverlys mouth stifling the sound.

Finally Nicole stopped screaming and waverly could breathe somewhat. She felt suddenly weak and nearly collapsed into wynonna. She straightened up and turned to face her sister. They needed to act. NOW.

Wynonna held her fingers to her lips but nodded. Waverly relaxed slightly and started to turn again. wynonna stopped and motioned to her. she was going to go to the crates with a better angle of the thugs. Waverly should wait til wynonna started firing before doing anything.

Waverly nodded urgently. She motioned for wynonna to hurry. Wynonna nodded. She texted dolls to tell him they were out of time and slipped away to her vantage point.  
Waverly took a steadying breath. Hold on Nicole, just hold on! we’ve almost got you.

 

Nicole clung to the blackness with sweet relief. She fought to stay there, swimming in the comforting weight of unconsciousness. But the pain smashed through, ripping apart her comforting cocoon. She drew in a ragged breath and sagged into the pillar for support. She kept her eyes firmly shut as if somehow if she couldn’t see it, this horrible nightmare wouldn’t exist.

“oh come now Nicole. You must open your eyes for your picture for waverly.” Donnie taunted. Nicole refused. She was too exhausted to play his games. “Suit yourself.” He took another then brought out his lighter again.

Nicole sank further into exhaustion willing the blackness to return. 

“I think we will do the face next. Im afraid dear waverly probably wont find you nearly as attractive after…but oh well. 

Nicole hung limply breathing in pants trying to force herself away from this hell. How much more could she survive? Were they coming? Was help on the way? How much longer should she try to hang on.

Just a little longer- a defiant voice inside told her. you can do anything for waverly and you know shes coming for you. Shes coming.

Nicole finally opened her eyes and recoiled almost instantly at the closeness of Donnie and his red hot knife. She felt her resolve crumble and a whimper escaped.

He smiled triumphantly and winked. “Hold her,” he demanded. 

Nicole whimpered again and struggled feeling panic take over. “NO!”

Hands came for her seemingly out of no where and held her shoulders, her arms, her hips, her face. Donnie approached slowly and Nicole could only watch with wide terrified eyes. she couldn’t move against the hands and chains binding her but she still tried. She let out a pleading whimper as the scorching knife inched closer to her face. She could feel the heat radiating on her face as well as the tears streaming down it. Suddenly a shot rang out. Donnie snapped back looking surprised. Then several more shots and the men around her fell to the ground.

Donnie screamed in rage and lunged forward for Nicole, knife striking towards her heart. He dropped with a solid thud and a spray of blood.

Nicole panted in stunned surprise then looked around wildly. There was the sound of more shots outside then all Nicole could see was waverly running towards her.  
“waverly,” she wanted to shout in joy. But it came out barely a whisper. She sagged in relief. 

Waverly ran to Nicole as fast as she could, oblivious to everything else except Nicole. She stopped and held out her hands to nicoles face. She wanted to touch nicole, make sure she was real but she was afraid of hurting her. 

“Waverly,” Nicole whispered again.

Waverly gently brushed a hand against nicoles cheek, as light as a butterfly and carefully brushed back a strand of her ginger hair. “Yes baby. Ive got you. Your okay now. ive got you.” 

Nicole seemed to sigh. “Okay.” Then she sagged even further and start to pass out again.

Waverly looked around frantically. “The key. We need to get her down!” she didn’t want to let go of Nicole, afraid she might vanish but she turned and searched desperately with her eyes as wynonna helped. 

“Got it baby girl.” Wynonna shouted and Nicole began to lower to the ground. 

Waverly did her best to cradle Nicole gently but she was injured everywhere! Nicoles eyes flew open and she screamed, once before waverly had her on the floor. She knelt beside Nicole with a hand underneath her head cradling, the other hovering above her, afraid to touch. 

Doc and dolls burst in through the side door as wynonna quickly undid the chains on nicoles ankles and wrists.

Waverly ignored all the others, she knew they would take care of what needed to be done. She just hovered over Nicole, rocking back and forth slightly on her knees beside nicole. She stared desperately into her girlfriends face. “Youre okay baby. Youre okay. Ive got you.” She repeated over and over. 

Doc strode around the room firing a shot into any of the goons still crawling around and moaning pitifully. Donnie lay on the ground, blood pouring from underneath his fingers from a wound in the shoulder. Dolls quickly approached and kicked away the knife that Donnie had been using to torture Nicole. He towered over Donnie with his gun pointed squarely at donnies face. “Don’t move.” He threatened, deadly calm. 

Donnie wheezed and sneered. “Just get it over with.”

Dolls dug his boot viscously into donnies wounded shoulder. “Wrong answer,” he informed donnie, ignoring the screaming. 

Doc approached and was casually flipping Donnies knife over and over in his hand. “You know, one must really be cautious with such instruments, as they can be used to inflict serious injury.” Without warning doc threw the knife and smiled as Donnie screamed again as it buried itself in his thigh just inches away from his balls. 

Nicole tried to say something but waverly shushed her. she brushed her thumb carefully over nicoles cheek. “youre okay,” she repeated again as she fought back tears. Nicole tried to smile and waverly nearly sobbed. 

Waverly cradled nicoles head desperately. She didn’t know what else to do there was so much blood. “Youre okay Nicole. Youre okay baby, I got you.” 

Nicole wanted to stay with waverly, she really did. But she was so tired. her vision started to blacken and narrow. She wanted to touch waverly and was surprised to find she could move her arm, that it was no longer chained. She reached for waverlys sweet face now shiny with tears but didn’t have the strength. 

Waverly saw nicoles hand shift and stutter, lacking, so she reached out and gently brought nicoles hand to her own face. She held it there and leaned down closer to Nicole. 

“You’re okay. Im here. Im not going anywhere. And neither are you.” But even as waverly said that nicoles hand sank like dead weight into waverlys and her eyes rolled back in her head.

“no! no. baby! No!” waverly looked up frantically to the others. “We have to get her help now! i… I think shes dying.” Waverly choked down a sob. She brushed nicoles hair again. no! Nicole was not going to die. She wasn’t. 

Dolls came over and knelt down. Wynonna and doc looked over visibly alarmed from where they stood above donnie. Dolls glanced at Nicole then waverly. “The ambulance is too far away. We need to get her to the hospital now.” he moved to pick Nicole up. Waverly nodded still cradling nicoles head. 

Donnie wheezed a harsh laugh. He opened his mouth to gloat but wynonna cut him off. She pointed peacemaker directly between his eyes. 

“Make your peace,” she hissed through clenched teeth. 

“Screw you.”

“Close enough,” wynonna smiled and fired. Donnies head snapped back with a satisfying thud and his brains were a positive addition to the floor. 

Dolls slipped a hand under nicoles shoulder and the other under her knees. 

Waverly beseeched him with wide eyes. “Careful. Please. Shes hurt…everywhere. Please.” 

Dolls nodded and as gently as possible lifted Nicole into his arms. She stiffened, her eyes flew open and she screamed again. 

Waverly was there still protecting her head. “Its okay baby. We have to move you. Its alright.” Nicole found waverlys eyes before sinking back down into the darkness again.

Doc sprinted towards the door. “I will start the car.” Wynonna ran to get the back passenger door open while dolls and waverly walked as fast and gently as they could.

Waverly climbed in first and helped slide Nicole onto her lap. The instant the door shut with everyone inside doc slammed on the gas and flew towards the hospital. 

Waverly whispered to Nicole the whole time. “Youre okay baby. I got you. We’re almost there.” she stroked gently at nicoles hair and pleaded with her girlfriend to wake up. “Please Nicole. I need you to wake up, do you hear me. I need you. I love you. Please. Open your eyes.” 

Nicole stirred at waverlys voice. She loved waverlys voice. 

“Please baby. Wake up. Open your eyes. I love you so much you cant die. Please don’t die.” Waverly pleaded. 

Nicole frowned inwardly. There was something wrong with waverlys voice. Why did it sound so sad. She felt like she was at the bottom of the ocean, the weight of unending blackness pressing on her, holding her down. She wanted to let herself just float there, it felt so good, it felt like nothing at all only blackness. But waverly voice continued. 

“Nicole!” waverly shouted. “Nicole! Wake up baby. Wake up.” Waverly switched to her sternest voice, her most commanding. “Deputy. Nicole. Haught. Wake up. This. Instant. I need you to wake up right now!” 

Nicole shifted in the blackness. She felt waverlys voice lift her up, slowly at first then all the sudden with the force of a water fall she was back in her body. And she screamed from the jarring pain.

Waverly leaned down trying to sooth Nicole. “hey baby its okay. Youre alright now.” she brought her face closer and stared into nicoles amber eyes, which were now open. She gently brushed nicoles hair back. “you’re okay baby. Ive got you. I got you.” 

Nicole gave a ghost of a smile and relaxed back somewhat. She raised a weak hand and waverly gently took it and squeezed. 

“Youre not getting away that easily, Nicole haught.” Waverly joked softly. “I just found you and im not letting you go.”

“Just…have…stay…you” Nicole managed weakly between shallow breaths. 

Waverly brought her face even closer and gently caressed nicoles face. “That’s right baby. You’re stuck with me and you have to stay with me.”

Nicoles eyes shone a little brighter. “kay.” She managed. 

Just then they slid to a halt infront of the hospital where a platoon of nurses and doctors and sheriff nedly were waiting for them. 

They removed Nicole as carefully as they could from the car and then whisked her away before waverly even knew what was happening. Waverly stood for a moment stunned. She looked down at her hands covered in blood. Nicoles blood. She trembled and felt her stomach rebel. She ran to the side and heaved violently but nothing came up. 

Then Wynonna was there helping her, holding her, and waverly threw herself into wynonnas arms. She sobbed. “Oh my god wynonna. What did they do to her?” she asked, heart broken. Wynonna wrapped her arms around her baby sister and didn’t respond. She stared over waverlys head to doc and dolls who were equally silent. 

They all rushed inside but were not allowed to see Nicole; the doctors were busy working. Waverly shook her head. She had to see Nicole. She had to. But wynonna was there again and wrapped her arms around waverly once more. 

“Theres nothing we can do right now baby girl. We have to stay out of the way.” She whispered, feeling like a traitor.

Waverly nodded begrudgingly and clung to wynonna as they shuffled into the waiting room and began the agonizing wait for news. The doctors had to stitch up and dress all of nicoles plentiful wounds, set her broken nose, not to mention the CT scan to see if there was any internal damage. Theyd had to do emergency surgery when they realized nicoles spleen had ruptured and she was bleeding out. She was also on concussion protocol. 

After hours of waiting and what seemd like an eternity, finally they got the all clear and were allowed to see Nicole. She was still unconscious and probably wouldn’t wake for several hours but was stable. Waverly rushed to her side and carefully took nicoles hands in her own. The others were shocked to see Nicole looking so small and vulnerable. She had oxygen flowing into her nose and so many lines going into her; antibiotics, blood transfusion, saline. All to help keep her stable, keep her alive. 

Wynonna growled what they were all thinking. “I wish I could go and kill all those fucking bastards again for what they did!” 

Waverly perched in the chair next to the bed and clung to nicoles hand and wynonna sat in the chair opposite her. She watched her sister stare desperately into nicoles face. wynonna watched Nicole breath steadily. She knew Nicole was tough and she was going to be just fine damnit! 

Dolls sat with his arms crossed in the window sill and observed while doc paced nervously. 

Eventually dolls stood and looked to doc. “We should go and make sure that everyone involved has been dealt with. If this was an ordered hit by someone else, we need to know.”   
Wynonna nodded. “Good thinking.” She glanced to waverly who hadn’t moved. 

Doc held his hat in his hand. “And I will send Jeremy by with miss Haughts favorite meal. She should have something satisfying to fortify her when she wakes.”   
Wynonna smiled softly. “That’s a great idea. Thanks guys.” 

Dolls nodded. Wynonna would stay for waverly. They all knew there was no way waverly was leaving nicoles side. Before doc left he handed nicoles phone to waverly. 

“I found this in the pocket of our fiendish enemy.” He hesitated. “I am uncertain what is on it but I doubt it is anything pleasant. 

Waverly looked up startled. Then took the offered phone. She set it down without looking at it, too intent on Nicole. 

Several hours later waverly took nicoles phone. She looked at it and wondered if she wanted to know what was there, if anything. She toyed with the idea for several minutes and glanced over at the sleeping wynonna and then down at Nicole. Maybe Nicole wouldn’t want her to see. But waverlys need to know eventually won out. 

She gasped as she saw the photos. She saw Nicole chained up, glaring at the camera. Saw as the bruises and the blood appeared and multiplied on nicoles body. There were so many! Felt tears well in her eyes as she saw nicoles shirt torn open exposing her to the camera, as red cuts appeared all over her body. She shook when she saw the burns appear on nicoles body as she sagged limply in the chains, felt sick as he forced nicoles lifeless head back by the hair. Waverly looked through the photos as Nicole was tortured, toyed with, tormented, beaten, and felt as if a piece of herself was being destroyed as well.

Waverly pushed herself to her feet and turned away. She couldn’t breathe. She put her hands on her knees and tried not to wretch. She shook and felt a sorrow, a rage deep within her. 

Wynonna watched waverlys reaction to the photos on nicoles phone and was there to take waverly into her arms. 

“Its okay baby girl. Shes tough. Shes going to be okay.” Waverly nodded into wynonnas shoulder. 

Just then Nicole stirred. “waverly” she called weakly.

Waverly ran over. “Im here. Your okay.” She reassured Nicole. 

Nicole smiled. She grabbed waverlys hands. Then brushed a finger to waverlys sweet lips. “kiss me,” she whispered. 

Waverly sniffed in happiness and gave a short laugh. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Nicole still smiled, eyes shining. “Worth it.”

So waverly leaned forward and gently, lightly kissed her darling. Nicole sighed sweetly as waverly sat back. “definitely worth it.”

Waverly gave a wet chuckle and brushed away her tears. Nicole frowned at the sight of them but waverly reassured her, “Don’t worry baby. Im just so happy youre okay.”

“I knew you were coming. I just had to hold on.”

Waverly squeezed nicoles hand gently. “and you did. Im so proud of you. You did so good. I love you so much.” Waverly brought her forehead to rest gently against nicoles.

“I love you too.” Nicole whispered. 

Waverly stared into nicoles eyes. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.” she scolded softly.

Nicole smiled again. “I will try not to.”

“you’d better not. But for right now, just sleep.”

Nicole yawned in agreement and her eyes fluttered shut. Waverly stroked nicoles hair for several minutes before settling back into the chair and holding nicoles hand through the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your comments! I really appreciate them and they give me motivation to keep writing more!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> waverly and nicole in the hospital
> 
>  
> 
> So in all honesty, I meant for the story to end at the end of last chapter. But so many felt differently, how could I refuse? I finally have an idea of where I want to take this, but what was everybody else thinking?

Waverly sat in the stiff hospital arm chair and her thumb rubbed slow, rhythmic circles as she held nicoles hand. It was pitch dark and quiet in the hospital room except for nicoles slightly labored breathing. Waverly stared into her loves battered face and found it difficult to breath herself. Her thumb stilled and her grip tightened on nicoles hand unconsciously as she traced the oxygen tube in nicoles nose and the fluids tripping into her IV. She stared uncomprehendingly at the alarming amount of wires and machines attached to her darling. Her Nicole. Nicole. 

Waverlys clenched her jaw as her eyes trailed over the bruises, split lip and streaks of dried blood that clung to her gingers abnormally pale face. They flicked down to the thick bandages that she couldn’t see under the covers, but that she knew where there, covering the torturous burns. 

Waverly grit her teeth so hard her jaw ached and her breath came short. She heard the taunting words that monster had spewed rattle threw her head. Heard them ping and clank and amplify the image of Nicole strung up and writhing in pain, nicoles raw scream reverberated and echoed unendingly…

Waverly gasped and looked away. Breathe, she told herself. Just breathe. Waverly sucked in a deep breath and realized her entire body was clenched. She blew out the breath and forced herself to relax. She loosened her grip on nicoles hand carefully and gently stroked nicoles cheek with the back of her other hand. Nicole was safe. She was safe and going to be just fine. 

Waverly pursed her lips and nodded firmly. She and the team had been in time to rescue her brave, sheriffs deputy and the monster responsible was dead. She slowly brushed the hair from nicoles face as she tried to convince herself that Nicole was going to be just fine. 

 

Nicole jolted awake and sucked in a deep breath. Her heart raced and she jerked violently. 

“NO!” a hoarse scream escaped. Nicole thrashed and tried to kick out but her legs were trapped in the covers. She whipped her hands up frantically in a desperate attempt to defend herself from the attack she knew was coming. Something clung to her wrist and she ripped it away. 

Nicoles eyes flicked around the dark room uncontrollably and her breath came in shallow pants. She knew he was here! Why couldn’t she see him. She clutched a hand to her hospital gown convinced that at any moment it would be ripped away from her. Nicole swung her head around searching for him, overwhelmed, entombed in his dark, oppressive presence. She brushed her hands roughly against her cheek and chest trying to get the feeling of him off of her. 

Waverly had stiffened, immediately on alert when Nicole woke. She half rose and hovered with her hands held out tentatively. “Nicole,” she tried urgently. “Nicole!” But Nicole was lost in her panic, trapped in another place. 

Suddenly waverlys face hovered in front of Nicole. “Nicole. Look at me! You’re okay.”

Nicoles breathing sounded harsh to her own ears as her eyes slowly locked on waverly and she stilled. She grasped reflexively to her loves forearms when waverly reached for her. Nicole clung to them, let them ground her and slowly she could breathe again. 

Finally Nicole blinked and looked from waverly to the rest of the room. She frowned at the rumpled and twisted blankets around her legs and glanced at the warmth dripping down her wrist. It was blood from where she had ripped out her own IV. She looked at waverly who watched her anxiously. 

“Baby. Are you okay?” waverly asked again urgently. 

Nicole nodded absently and still searched the corners of the room. There was nothing there. she turned quickly to waverly. “Where is he? He was here!” She didn’t wait for waverlys answer but craned her head scouring every inch of the dark room with her eyes. 

Waverly rubbed nicoles arm. “Baby, theres no one here but me,” she said gently. 

Nicole looked to waverly then flicked her eyes around once more. “But…I could feel him. He was here…” she finished with a small voice.

Waverly face twisted and she squeezed nicoles hand. “You’re okay now Nicole.” She brushed back nicoles hair from her injured face. “You’re safe and no one is going to hurt you.”   
Nicole sniffed and nodded. Waverlys heart pinched even further and she brought her love into her arms. “Its okay baby. You’re okay,” she whispered soothingly. 

Nicole nodded then broke down sobbing. She clung to waverly and shook. She felt numb and at the same time felt as if a dam busted as all the fear, pain, horror, helpless anger and terror she’d felt in the last day pour out of her. She spewed forth all the caustic emotions clawing at her soul, held safe in waverlys embrace. 

Waverly held Nicole gently but securely in her arms. She placed a protective hand around nicoles shoulders and another held nicoles head to her chest. She rocked slowly back and forth and whispered reassuring things as her love cried out her sorrow. 

Nicole slowly felt her sobs lessen and she let waverlys gentle rocking and warmth to soothe her. she tightened her grip on waverlys arm and nestled her face into waverlys shoulders. She drew in a deep breath and savored the smell; home. 

Waverly brushed nicoles hair slowly and started humming softly. She wasn’t even aware of it at first but after several minutes realized it was a lullaby that mama would sing to her when she couldn’t sleep. They stayed like that for several more minutes until a cramp in waverlys arm and the sight of the fresh blood on nicoles wrist caused her to shift. 

She brought Nicole up to face her and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. She leaned her forehead close and rested it softly against nicoles. They stared desperately into each other’s eyes as if terrified that the other might disappear at any moment. They simply breathed in each other’s presence, clinging tightly to each other. 

This time it was waverly who sniffed. Her lip trembled. “I almost lost you,” she whispered, afraid to even say it out loud. 

Nicole just nodded, not sure what to say. She wanted to reassure her girlfriend that it hadn’t been the case, but she knew differently. She knew that if waverly and the others hadn’t come for her, hadn’t found her when the did…Nicole shivered. She knew that she would be dead. 

Yet Nicole also knew that waverly and the others would never have let that happen. For the first time in her life, Nicole knew without a doubt, that there were people who would fight for her, come for her, protect her. 

Nicole shook her head gently, her forehead still resting against waverlys. “Uh uh,” she said softly. “Im not going anywhere.” 

Waverly gave a ghost of a smile which was reflected in nicoles eyes. She leaned back and tenderly wiped the tears from nicoles cheeks. 

Nicole grasped waverlys hand, stilling her motion. She looked her love straight in the eye. “I love you,” she stated firmly. 

Waverlys smile widened. She gently leaned forward and placed a butterfly kiss on nicoles split lips. “I love you too, nicole haught,” she whispered. They stared at each other for another long moment as if trying to memorize every detail. 

Then nicole groaned. With the adrenaline gone, all her hurts came back tenfold. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to block out the pain as waverly helped her lay back down.   
Waverly brought the covers up around nicole and gently rearranged the pillow for her. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on her darlings forehead. “Im going to get the nurse to fix your IV and get you something for the pain.”

Nicole opened her eyes but just nodded stiffly with a grimace. She didn’t relax until the pain meds flooded into her system and waverly was back by her side, holding onto her hand with its iv new applied. She felt her eyelids grow heavy and the last thing she remembered was feeling safe and loved with waverly lightly stroking her hair as she hummed absently.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nicole wakes and wynonna keeps her company

Nicole woke slowly, as if peeling off the layers of sleep one by one. She opened her eyes and blinked several times. Light streamed in from the hospital window and seemed to help chase away the shadowy nightmares of the night before.

Without looking nicole knew waverly was still there, holing her hand. She flicked her eyes over to her love and smiled. Waverly was asleep slumped over in the hospital recliner with her mouth slightly askew. The early morning light bathed waverly in a golden glow and she looked positively angelic.

Someone shifted on nicoles other side and she started. 

“My bad,” Wynonna said quietly. “Hope I didn’t wake you.”

Nicole whipped her head over to wynonna then blew out a breath. “That’s okay.” She ignored her racing heart. “I just didn’t realize you were there.”

Wynonna gave her a surprisingly soft smile. “Like I was going to leave you alone in this place. The hallway smells like the inside of nedleys gym shorts.”

Nicole tried to smile but guessed she didn’t quite manage it from wynonnas face. 

“How are you feeling?” Wynonna asked softly. 

Nicole tried to shrug but grimaced in pain instead. She clenched her fists reflexively then flicked her eyes to waverly, who was still breathing deeply. Nicole decided to be honest. “Everything hurts,” she wheezed. 

Wynonna frowned. “Nothing like a bit of torture to wake you up huh?” She reached out and gently squeezed nicoles hand. “It’s a good thing youre one tough broad. Waverly would have killed you if you’d died.”

Nicoles mouth twitched. Then she looked to her darling still sleeping and felt the corners of her eyes well up with tears. 

Wynonna noticed the change. “Hey haught. Its okay, youre okay now nicole.” 

Nicole sniffed. “But I wasn’t. If you hadn’t…”

“Hadnt nothing,” Wynonna interrupted. “We did, and those rat bastards are never going to be bothering anyone. Ever. Again.”

Nicole blinked several times then nodded. 

“But like seriously.” Wynonna squeezed nicoles hand again. “Im glad youre okay.”

Nicole took a deep breath as she met wynonnas eyes. She didn’t know what to say, so she didn’t say anything. She looked to waverly, still holding her hand as she slept and her face softened. “I knew she would come for me,” nicole whispered. 

Wynonna nodded in agreement. “Hell itself wouldn’t have kept her from you.” 

Nicole smiled then winced at the pain in her split lip. 

Wynonna hissed in sympathy. “Those assholes were pretty thorough, huh?”

Nicole didn’t answer for a long moment. She just stared at waverly and slowly rubbed her thumb against waverlys soft, warm hand. Wynonna was convinced that nicole wasn’t going to answer when the ginger finally spoke. “He wanted to make me suffer…” Nicole breathed. Her mind flashed to his leering face and the searing knife and a pang of fear shot through her. Her heart rate spiked and her breathing became ragged as she clenched her hands unconsciously. 

Wynonna sat up in alarm. “Hey nicole. Its okay, youre okay now. Stay with me here. You are not there anymore. They cant hurt you anymore.”

Nicole sniffed and tried to slow down her breathing. She nodded and winced in pain which just brought more tears to her eyes. 

“Its okay,” wynonna reassured her. She held firmly to nicoles hand and stared unblinkingly at the ginger. She quietly repeated her calming words, holding out her other hand as if to stroke nicoles hair, then thought better of it. Wynonna was relieved when nicoles eyes were finally able to focus on what was in front of her.

Nicole closed her eyes and took several slow, deliberate breaths. 

“That’s better.” Wynonna squeezed nicoles hand again. “Its okay, you know… To let it out.” She said softly. 

Nicole looked at wynonna. “Thanks.”

Wynonna made a face. “For what?”

Nicoles face grew even more serious. “Promise me. If something happens…she will know how much I love her. 

Wynonnas face blanched. “What are you talking about? Youre going to be fine.” 

“I mean it Wynonna.”

“So do I.” 

The two women stared at each, neither willing to look away first. Nicoles nostrils flared in determination and wynonna pursed her lips. 

“Nothing is going to happen to you, nicole.”

“You cant save us all Wynonna. And if you have to choose…”

Wynonna shook her head and leaned back. “I am NOT having this conversation.” 

“Wynonna.”

“Nope.” Wynonna shook her head again resolutely. Nicole frowned. “Nuh uh.” Wynonna reiterated. Then her face softened. “Besides, waverly already knows, nicole,” she whispered.

Nicole relaxed back and blinked sleepily. “Good.” 

Wynonna cleared her throat. “Um, before you get too comfortable again, Nedley and dolls want to question you about what happened. To make sure every single ass clown involved is…dealt with.”

Nicole rested her head back against the pillow and stared blankly in front of her. 

Wynonna frowned at nicoles expression. “And you will be glad to know that Nedley has taken over Calamity Jane duties.” She leaned closer and raised an eyebrow. “Ive never seen anyone so in love with a cat before. He had 3 different types of treats for the dang cat and not one doughnut for me.”

One side of nicoles mouth turned up. “The nerve,” nicole agreed. But the amusement didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“I know, right?” Wynonna asked leaning back again, eyeing nicole closely. 

Just then waverly stirred. She turned and saw nicole awake. “Baby! Are you okay?” She quickly brought both hands up to nicoles face and peered at her, concerned. 

Nicole blinked slowly. “Im okay. Wynonna was keeping me company.”

Waverly looked to wynonna gratefully then put the back of her hand on nicoles forehead. “Are you feeling okay. You seem a bit warm.” Nicole didn’t have a chance to answer before waverly was asking more questions, her hands gently cupping nicols face. “Where is your nurse? Have they examined you today? How are her vitals?” waverly asked looking to her older sister.

Wynonna looked at waverly and made a face. “You are the smarypants of this family baby girl… But no, no-one has been in this morning as far as I know.” 

Waverly frowned and brushed back a strand of ginger hair. Nicole tried to tell her that she was fine but waverly shushed her. “Just let me take care of you for once.” Waverly rested her forehead against nicoles. “Please.”

Nicole rested her hands on top of her girlfriends and stared into her adoring eyes. “Okay,” she agreed quietly.

Wynonna leaned back observing the love birds and tried not to roll her eyes, given the seriousness of the circumstances. Finally she shifted which caused the pair to glance back at her. “Do you want me to see about getting the nurse or somebody in here?”

Waverly sat back and nodded curtly. “Yes, I have several questions,” she said, all business once more.

“Right. One medical professional, coming up.” She got up and stretched awkwardly. 

“Thanks,” waverly said. She perched on the bed and clutched to one of nicoles hands, the other stroked her bruised and battered cheek. 

Wynonna smiled. “Besides, there might be a chance to snag some extra painkillers.”

“Wynonna!” waverly admonished and even in her weakened state, nicole managed an impressive frown in wynonnas direction. 

Wynonna rolled her eyes. “Kidding. Mostly.” Then she slipped quietly from the room. Once outside she leaned up against the door and took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Then she pushed herself off and set off in search of some a-hole who could help her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nicole and the gang chat
> 
>  
> 
> (I love papa nedley, its totally a thing!)  
> ps. this is the part of the episode when everything seems fine, but then you realize there are 13 minutes left...

Wynonna returned 10 minutes later with a terrible cup of coffee and was muttering to herself. She paused in the doorway then went to the empty chair next to nicoles bed. Waverly was still planted on nicoles bed holding one of her gingers hands while the other mournfully traced the bruises on nicoles decidedly pale face. 

“I had to threaten half the staff but youre nurse is coming. Though they gave me some BS about it being shift change, so it might be a while,” Wynonna informed nicole. 

Nicole managed a nod then flicked her eyes to the door at the soft knock. Nedley peeked his head in then shuffled forward hesitantly. Dolls followed after him with a small notebook in hand and was trailed by Doc and Jeremy. 

“How are you feeling deputy?” Nedley asked, holding his hat in his hands. 

Nicole tried to smile but winced instead. “Ive been better.” 

Nedleys face soften. “That you have.” He came forward and stood at the foot of her bed. He looked like he wanted to say something more, but Jeremy chimed in before he got the chance.

“I brought your favorite,” he exclaimed proudly, holding up a paper bag. “Chicken and waffles.”

Wynonna smirked at nicole. “Really, Haught?”

“Don’t knock it til you try it.” Nicole looked wanly to wynonna then back to Jeremy. “Thanks Jeremy,” she said between shallow breaths. 

Jeremy placed it grandly on the tray table next to the bed and made a half bow as he backed away. He smiled at her eagerly but nicole didn’t move. His jubilant smile faltered. “Did I get it wrong?”

“No. its perfect Jeremy.” Nicole shifted slightly and had to bite her lip in pain. “Thanks. Im just not… feeling very hungry,” nicole tried to reassure him. She stared at the offered meal, the thought of food anything but appetizing. 

Jeremy shrugged, hiding away his disappointment. “Of course. You’ve just been tortured, the last thing you probably-Oh shit.” Jeremy finished as Dolls and Doc smacked him. “Sorry. I-“

Dolls glowered at Jeremy then stepped between him and nicole, effectively ending their conversation. “Do you know who your attackers were?” Dolls asked, his stare intense. “What they wanted?”

Nicoles head seemed to reel at the abrupt change in conversation. With effort her brain connected with dolls words. After a moment she nodded. “Yeah. My first case…” Her gaze drifted off Dolls and her eyes blurred. 

Dolls waited. His head tilted slightly in anticipation. 

After a few moments nicole blinked and seemed to come back to herself. She saw Dolls watching her expectantly, so she cleared her throat. “My first case… in the city. It was an organized crime bust. I wasn’t even supposed to be there, but someone called out sick and they needed another body. I was just there covering a post no one thought was actually important ‘cause I was just a rookie backing up the task force. Nothing was supposed to happen.” Nicoles voice got softer as she rambled. She was staring at nothing in particular and her eyes were unfocused. 

Waverly watched her darling with concern. She rubbed her thumb gently along nicoles palm, still holding the injured womans hand. “What happened”?

Nicole blinked again and looked to waverly. “I shot him.”

“Who?” Dolls interjected quickly. 

Nicole turned sluggishly to Dolls. “Mikey. Regaleti,” she said weakly. “He was the boss of a crime family. Nasty family…We had him dead to rights on a butt load of counts…He tried to get out, but the exit was blocked.” Nicoles voice seemed to trail off again then her eyes snapped up suddenly to nedleys. “He didn’t give me a choice,” she said almost desperately. “I had to!”

“Its alright nicole,” Nedley reassured her. “It’s a part of the job.” He frowned and shifted closer to stand on the side of the bed next to wynonna in the cramped hospital chair. “Who was it that attacked you yesterday?”

Nicole sniffed and tears welled in the corner of her eyes. “His little brother. Donnie.” Nicole swallowed thickly then blew out a breath. She watched wearily as Dolls scribbled in his notebook. He looked back up at her waiting. 

“What else can you tell us?”

Nicole struggled to focus. “He must have taken over after…after mikey died…He was the youngest and before that kept out of the business. His brother didn’t want him involved…I transferred here right after, so I never followed up…” 

“What did this Donnie want with you?” 

Nicole grit her teeth. She clenched her fists and for the first time her eyes looked clear as she stared at dolls. “He wanted revenge.”

Dolls nodded in agreement. “What else do you remember about the family?” He continued efficiently.

Nicole shook her head and winced. “I cant…I don’t remember…” Her brain felt like rusted gears that hadn’t been moved in years. 

“Was there anyone else? Any other family members that would want to take revenge on you?” Dolls tried to guide the deputy.

Nicoles scrunched her face. “There had been another brother but,” nicole paused, “He died as a kid. And the father was also dead…” She looked up a dolls at a loss. “Im sure there are plenty of people who weren’t happy about it, but I cant think of anyone…” Nicole finished, slightly short of breath. 

Dolls snapped his notebook shut. “Don’t worry officer haught. We will make sure we investigate everyone thoroughly.”

Nicole rested her head back against the pillow feeling exhausted and nodded softly. 

“You don’t think she is still in danger, do you?” Waverly asked sharply. “I mean we got everyone…right?”

“Of course we did baby girl,” Wynonna was quick to reassure her sister. “Everyone who was there to get got.”

“However, permit me to point out,” Doc started, holding his hat in his hand, “that dispatching the current mafioso boss and his henchmen may put a bee in the bonnet of some very powerful people.”

Waverly paled and became almost as white as nicole. She gripped her loves hand even tighter. “Then we need to get protection and guns and flame throwers and figure out what the hell is going on! Right Now!”

Wynonna glared at doc then held out her hands to calm her sister. “We will baby girl. No one else is getting hurt because of these assholes.” Wynonna looked to the people behind her. “Dolls and Jeremy are going to rock the shit out of the research while Doc and I assess the hospital and weapon situation.” She stepped closer to her sister and put warm hands on the younger womans shoulders. “We got this.” 

Waverly placed a reciprocal hand on wynonnas forearm and smiled as wynonna placed a soft kiss on her brow. Her smile widened even further as she watched wynonna think about doing the same to her darling, then decide to awkwardly pat the gingers shoulder delicately instead.

“Don’t worry Haught. We got this.”

Nicole smiled at wynonna, and indeed, her family as Doc tilted his hat and ambled towards the door. Dolls nodded then quickly turned and started out of the room only to turn suddenly and tug Jeremy after him. Jeremy gave a wave and tried not to look too estatic at Dolls pulling him from the room. Wynonna rolled her eyes then with a last glance at waverly and nicole, turned purposefully and strode out. 

Nedley cleared his throat again and stepped forward. He settled into wynonnas vacated chair. “And I am going to place 24 hour guard outside your door.” He looked unblinkingly to nicole. “No one is going to be bothering you.” 

Nicole felt surprised and warmed at nedleys words. “Thanks sheriff. But do you think that is reall-“

Nedley held up a hand and cut off his wounded officer. “Of course nicole. You attack a deputy of this department and you attack this very town.” He moved to the side of nicoles bed opposite waverly. “Not to mention the deep shit you find yourself in when you attack my favorite deputy.”

Nicole felt her cheeks color. “I…I don’t know what to say.” She felt happy warmth spread throughout her body.

Nedley smiled and reached out for nicoles hand. He grasped it gently below the thick bandage wrapped around her wrist. He followed the cuts and bruises up nicoles arm, skirted over the thick gauze sticking out from under her hospital gown, traced the finger marks on her throat, tazer burns on her neck and took in the horrific damage inflicted on her face. 

Nedley met nicoles eyes and squeezed her hand gently. Nicole returned his squeeze and smiled affectionately. An understanding passed between them with no need for words. Nedley ignored the tears leaking from his eyes. 

“Just get better,” he instructed.

Nicole blinked away her own tears. “Yes sir.” 

They stayed like that for several moments until nicole shifted again and grimaced in pain. 

“Whats wrong?” Nedley and waverly asked at the same time.

“Nothing,” nicole said between grit teeth. “Just…hurts.” 

Waverly pursed her lips and Nedley frowned. He looked around the room questioningly then stood. “I will go for the nurse, nicole.”

Nicole nodded, her face tense. 

Waverly leaned close to her love and brushed back the hair from nicoles stitched forehead. “What can I do baby? How can I help?” 

Nicole shivered. She had felt warm earlier, but now she was freezing. “Cold,” she managed to say. 

Waverly immediately stood from the bed and wrenched the covers up around nicoles chin. She took off her fluffy, ankle length coat and placed it ontop of her love. She felt nicoles cheeks and forehead again. “You feel warm,” waverly frowned. She didn’t like the look of nicoles flush over abnormally pale cheeks, her shallow breathing or the haziness in her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nicole hopped up on pain meds? yes please! (there should probably be an entire fic of just that!) Also, our final and true villain makes an appearance.

Waverly looked impatiently at the monitors but wasn’t sure what the numbers all meant. Her eyes flicked to the IV stand where several bags of liquid dripped continuously into the tube attached to her darlings hand. She stepped closer to the head of the bed and nearly slipped. 

Waverly reached out a hand to steady herself and winced as nicole grimaced at the sudden shaking of the bed. “Sorry baby!” waverly exclaimed. She held out her hands apologetically for a moment then bent down and peered under the bed. Her brows nit together in confusion. There was a large pool of water on the floor.

Waverly walked to the other side of the bed and tilted her head. She grabbed the plastic tube of the IV then rubbed her fingers together. They were wet. What the heck? Waverly looked and saw that the IV was definitely the source of the liquid. She frowned. 

Just then the door opened and a woman in scrubs walked in. Waverly breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh thank goodness.” She stood next to nicole and pointed at the IV. “I think its leaking.”

The nurse frowned and quickly looked at the puddle on the floor. She walked over and examined it briefly then looked to waverly and her patient with concern. “Youre right. Im not sure how that happened but we will fix it right away.”

Waverly nodded. She wrapped her arms around herself. “Shes also having a lot of pain. And she seems warm to me.”

The nurse nodded and took in nicoles pale, drawn face. “I will get her vitals and then get her something for the pain.” 

When the nurse turned to use the vital machine next to the bed nicole reached for waverlys hand. “Im okay,” she tried to reassure her girlfriend. But it came out in a whisper. 

The nurse frown at the numbers displayed on the screen.

“What is it?” waverly immediately asked.

The nurse looked to waverly then the injured deputy. “Im a little concerned by your numbers, nicole. Youre heart rate and temperature a bit too high and your blood pressure is a little too low. Im going to have the doctor come take a look at you to be sure.” 

 

The doctor came surprisingly quickly. Waverly wasn’t sure if that should make her feel better or worse. The doctor examined the liquid on the floor and looked at the readout of nicoles vitals. Then she glanced at the nurse and they both frowned at the foot of nicoles bed.

“What is it? Whats wrong?” waverly asked, her voice high. She stood next to nicoles bed and clutched her arms around her, radiating anxiety. 

The dark woman in the white coat smiled softly. She took a step forward and rested her fingertips together at her navel. She glanced from waverly down to her pale patient. “Nicole, somehow your IV leaked last night so none of the critical things you require, such as antibiotics, were able to get into your system.” 

Nicole blinked and tried to hold onto the doctors words. She knew they were important but she couldn’t seem to wrap her brain around them. She felt so exhausted and the pain seemed to throb throughout her entire body with each breath she took. 

“It appears as though you have a fever so I am worried that infection may be setting in, which is quite common after burns if no antibiotics are given. So we will administer those immediately.” 

The doctor said this gently but it still felt like knived thrusting into waverlys gut. She seemed to bow under the weight of the words and reached for nicoles hand once more.

Nicole smiled up at waverly. Her pain felt slightly better whenever waverly was touching her. 

The whole IV stand contraption was replaced and a new one brought in. The doctor herself supervised as the new lead was placed in nicoles arm and the fluids began to trip serenely. “That should help us out. But we will monitor things very closely.” She rested a gentle hand on top of nicole. “Let us know how you are feeling okay?”

Nicole nodded. She liked the doctors kind eyes and concerned smile. “Hurts,” she breathed. 

The doctor nodded. “The pain medication was delivered through your IV however since nothing was actually getting to you…” She looked at the nurse. “Lets give her some now and then every four hours to start with.” 

The nurse nodded and the doctor gave nicole and her worried shadow a small smile and head nod then left quickly. 

Nicole could feel immediately when the pain medication entered her system. She sighed and all the muscles she hadn’t realized were clenched, relaxed. She looked to waverly who returned to her spot sitting on the bed and smiled. 

Waverly took nicoles hand and gently brought her lips down and kissed it softly. “We are going to get you better, don’t worry.”

Nicole looked at her adoringly. “I know.” She said softly, her breathing slightly more even. “Im not worried.” 

Waverly brushed back nicoles hair and smiled at the way nicole relaxed into her touch. “Do you like that?” 

“Mmmm” was nicoles reply. Her eyes flutter shut as waverly played in her hair. Then she shivered again and looked at waverly. Her eyes flicked over her girlfriend and she tilted her head, squinting. “Are you an angel?”she asked. 

Waverly drew back surprised. “What?”

Nicole blinked and her eyes seemed unfocused. “You look like an angel…standing there…” nicoles voice trailed off and she shivered again. She reached out a hand which waverly took immediately. “So cold…get in.”

Waverly couldn’t help but smile at the tiny tug on her hand. She hesitated only a moment, she didn’t want to hurt nicole. She carefully drapped herself around her injured deputy and pulled the covers up around their chins. 

Nicole shivered and turned into waverlys warmth. She nestled her head and sighed contentedly. 

Waverly placed a gentle kiss on her loves forehead. “Just sleep,” she instructed softly. Nicole didn’t hear her, she was already asleep. Waverly stared down at nicole and wondered how she could feel such love and such sorrow at the same time. 

Waverly lay for a long time, holding her darling. She watched nicoles chest rise and fall, more shallowly than normal. She listened to the beat of nicoles heart, a little too fast. She stared at the monitors, willing them to have good numbers this time. She kept vigil over her love. “I wont let anything happen to you, nicole,” waverly promised solemnly. She sealed it with a soft kiss to nicoles burning forehead. 

Nicole finally stirred with a whimper. Waverly quickly reassured her, “Its okay nicole. Everythings okay.” 

Nicole slowly opened her eyes and smiled at waverly. She wasn’t freezing anymore, in fact now she felt hot. But she didn’t say anything because she loved when waverly was next to her in bed. “Hey cutie…”

Waverly chuckled. “Hi sweetie pie.” She leaned away slowly to get up. 

Nicole tensed. “No.”

Waverly relaxed and sunk back into the bed. “Okay.” She freed one hand from the blankets and stroked nicoles hair. 

Nicole sighed and leaned into the touch. Waverly smiled adoringly and continued languidly playing with nicoles hair. 

After a while she noticed nicole was restless again. Her hand stilled and she looked worried into nicoles pale face. “Whats wrong.” 

Nicole shook her head uncertain. “Feel like im buring.”

Waverly tried to get up but nicole clamped a clammy hand onto her wrist. 

“No. Don’t go.” 

“I wont go anywhere, but I should get the doctor,” waverly tried. 

“No.” nicole searched waverlys face. She brought her hand up and cupped waverlys cheek. “Im used to burning. You make me…” Her voice trailed off and waverly flushed slightly. “Ever since I saw you…” 

Waverly swallowed. “This is different babe. You have a fever.”

Nicole smiled and shook her head. “A fever named waverly.” She raised an eyebrow suggestively. 

Waverly snorted then sobered immediately at the foreign steristrips on the cut above nicoles eyebrow. “Yes nicole, you have me. But you also have a really high fever.” 

Nicole stroked waverlys cheek then let her hand drop. Waverly eyed her with concern. She cupped nicoles face and gasped in surprise when nicole turned her head and took waverlys thumb into her mouth. 

“Baby! What are you doing?”

Nicole sucked and let her teeth lightly graze waverlys thumb as her girlfriend reclaimed her appendage. She tilted her head towards waverly next to her on the bed. “You,” she purred in a gravelly voice. 

Waverly felt her head spin. How nicole could manage to be so sexy at a time like this was beyond her. “No,” she said resolutely. 

Nicole pouted. Then a part of her looked scared. “Don’t you…still…want me?” The words escaped haultingly, like they were a struggle to say.

Waverly jolted, Donnies terrible lies ringing in her ears. She hated him even more for making nicole even THINK about questioning her love. She felt her heart melt at her vulnerable deputy. She cupped nicoles cheek and rested her forehead against her loves. “Of course I do!” she stroked nicoles cheek. “You drive me crazy. Constantly. In that uniform, with those tight pants…” she stared into nicoles eyes. “I love you nicole haught. Nothing is going to change that.” 

Nicole desperately seemed to drink in waverlys words. “Say it again.”

“I love you nicole haught, and I always will.”

Nicole smiled then leaned forward and kissed waverly. It was slow and gentle, but quickly escalated. 

Waverly pulled back slightly short of breath. “Woah there, nicole. We are NOT going there.”

Nicole pouted again. “Why not?”

“Because your sick, drugged and I don’t want to hurt you!” 

Nicole smiled. She relaxed back onto the pillow and stared at waverly. “You make me so happy.”

Waverly felt herself warm. “You make ME so happy.”

Nicole practically preened under the compliment. She rubbed her thumb on the brunettes hand. She stared at waverly adoringly as if trying to memorize each feature.

Waverly felt her breath hitch. “Stop that.”

Nicole continued to drink waverly in. “What, babe?” she asked, her speech slightly slurred.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like…I don’t know! Its just…its…”

Nicole didn’t stop. “Its what?”

Waverly swallowed and tried to catch her breath. She tried to pull back but nicoles soft resistance held her in place. “I…cant think,” she started thickly. “When you look at me like that.”

Nicole smiled mischeviously. “Do I make you burn?”

Waverly let out a short laugh. She rested her forehead against nicoles. “Do you ever!” she sobered at the heat she felt radiating from nicole. “And I will show you just how much, when youre not burning up with fever.” 

Nicole smiled and nodded. “Promise?”

Waverly returned nicoles smile. She tucked the hair behind her loves ear. “You better believe it.” 

 

Wavelry remained where she was next to nicole in bed. She kept watch as nicole drifted in and out of sleep. The ginger became more fidgity and confused as time passed. Her fever was still way too high and she would alternate between groaning and clenching in pain and shivering uncontrollably. The pain medication helped relieve some of nicoles symptoms, but it also seemed to make her more disoriented and worryingly lethargic. 

Waverly stayed with her. The others came and stayed for a while but waverly barely noticed. She only had eyes for her love. Wynonna tried to convince her to rest but waverly just shook her head resolutely. She wasn’t going anywhere. She remained in bed next to her darling. 

She must have dozed eventually though, because she started awake. It was dark in the room and the hospital was quiet. She looked to nicole and found her staring at her. 

“Baby! Youre awake. How are you feeling?” 

Nicole smiled. “A little better. No longer burning.”

Waverly quickly put her hand to nicoles forehead. She breathed a sigh of relief. The intense heat from earlier was gone. “You still have a fever, but its not nearly as bad.” 

“I dreamed you were an angel, riding a unicorn. But it was rainbow colored and you were throwing doughnuts to the children of the world.”

Waverly blinked then chuckled. “Wow.” She shifted and instantly regretted it when nicole grimaced. “They said you could have more pain meds when you woke up.”

Nicole nodded, pinching her lips together. “Probably a good idea.” 

“How bad is it?”

“Almost as bad as watching you date champ.”

Waverly smiled despite her concern. If nicole could still make jokes then she was going to be just fine! Atleast, that’s what waverly told herself. She pushed the call button for the nurse. 

 

They didn’t have to wait long before a different woman in scrubs walked in. Nicole frowned at her. something about this woman tickled at the back of her mind. But then she hissed in pain and all thoughts fled. 

“Don’t worry, nicole,” the woman in the scrubs said as she readied a syringe. “We will get you fixed up.” She inserted the needle into the port on the IV and pushed its contents in slowly. 

Nicole sighed and relaxed into waverly. She smiled, distracted by her love once again. “You are so preeeetty…and I love you soo much.” 

Waverly smiled at her darling, high off pain meds and stroked her cheek. Then she looked up to the nurse. “Thanks,” she started. But then nicoles eyes rolled back and her head lolled to the side. Waverlys mind jumped for an instant to the photo of nicole strung up and being tortured, her head hanging limply and lolled to the side…

Waverly sat bolt upright. “Nicole?!” She cupped her loves face and tried to stare into her beautiful amber eyes. But they remained shut. Waverly jerked her attention to the nurse. “What did you do?!”

Something in the nurses bearing made waverly trill with fear. She looked scornfully between nicole and waverly. “Just a very powerful pain medication. Don’t worry, she will be fine.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The true villain revealed!
> 
> This gets dark and angsty. (even more so than id planned) (not sorry) But remember it be alright in the end!

“She doesn’t look fine,” waverly was just barely managing to hold it together. 

“Get up waverly,” the nurse commanded.

Waverly froze. “What?”

The nurse held another syringe to nicoles IV port. “Get up.”

“What are you doing?” waverly asked, desperately trying to discreetly reach for the call light. 

“Ah, I wouldn’t if I were you,” the nurse advised. Waverly froze once more. “Now get up.”

Waverly slowly pushed back the covers and disentangled herself from nicole. She breathed the tiniest sigh of relief when nicole murmured and twitched. 

“What do you want?”

“Shut up.” The nurse reached her free hand into a pocket and threw a pair of hand cuffs onto the bed. “Put those on. Lock yourself to the foot of the bed”

Waverly hesitated. She was bursting with questions, but the sight of the woman holding a potentially deadly syringe forced her to move. She grabbed the cuffs and clicked it around one wrist then went to put the other on the frame of the bed. 

“No,” the nurse corrected. “Both hands.”

Waverly grit her teeth and slid the cuff through the hole then clicked it around her wrist as loosely as possible. 

“Tighter.” 

Waverly clenched her jaw but tightened both cuffs. “What do you want?”

The woman let her hand drop and went to stand over nicole. She stared down, her back to waverly.

Waverly felt panick flutter in her chest. “What are you doing?”

The woman lingered a moment then turned back to waverly. Her harsh glare made waverly flinch. She turned back to nicole and stood stock still. She hardly even seemed to be breathing.

Waverly looked around the room frantically. She pulled awkwardly at the hand cuffs as she scanned for something, anything. She was just about to open her mouth to start screaming when the woman moved. She yanked the oxygen cannula from nicoles nose and tore out her IV. Then she placed a hand around nicoles throat and squeezed. “I wouldn’t, if I were you,” she advised waverly.

Waverlys mouth shut with a snap. “Don’t,” she couldn’t help but beg. 

Nicole started gasping, trying to breath. She jerked and her hands twitched. Finally her eyes pried opened. 

The woman smiled and let go of nicoles throat. “Finally we meet, officer. Nicole. Haught.” 

Nicole blinked and looked confused. She struggled to focus on the person in front of her. “Who…?”

The woman stepped closer. “Don’t you recognize me? You only killed my sons?”

Nicoles eyes widened and she pushed her head back into the pillow. The woman smiled at the gingers fear. 

Nicole finally looked past the woman and saw waverly. Handcuffed to the bed. “Waverly!” she croaked. She tried to move but she was so weak. She struggled to sit up, to move the covers, to make her fingers obey. But her body wasn’t under her control. She could only watch as the woman stepped back and walked towards waverly.

Nicoles breath quickened. “No.” She drew a leg up and tried to roll. She reached for the rail but it slipped from her grasp. “No,” she moaned again. 

The woman smiled viciously. “Poor nicole, unable to save the woman she loves. How will you live knowing you are the reason she died?”

Nicole choked in fear and scrabbled at the rail again. she couldn’t seem to hold on. 

“Shut the hell up,” waverly shouted. 

The woman just tutted and walked closer to her prey. “You really are quite beautiful, you know. She is right about that.” 

Waverlys nostrils flared. “Shut up.” She repeated. 

The woman snarled and lunged for waverly. She twisted a fist into waverlys hair and wrapped a cruel hand around wavelrys throat and squeezed. She glared balefully into the tiny, handcuffed womans face and drew her closer. 

Waverly had to stand rigidly on tip toes and the womans breath was hot on her face. She spluttered and tried to wrench away but that only resulted in more pressure on her windpipe. 

The womans lips curled and her rage seemed to contain itself to a molten simmer. She twirled her fingers more securely in waverlys hair and let the other drop from waverlys throat. She turned so she was behind waverly, facing nicole with disdain. 

Nicole had shouted again as waverly was attacked. She’d managed to hold onto the rail and heave her shoulders towards the edge of the bed but gotten no further. She panted with the effort and terror as the woman yanked waverlys head back by her hair. Nicole lay horrified, unable to move as she watched the woman bury her nose in the side of waverlys neck and inhale deeply. 

The woman grinned evily to nicole and nuzzled behind waverlys ear just the way nicole liked to. She tucked an errant strand of hair behind waverlys ear and brushed a hand to waverlys soft cheek. “So beautiful,” she murmured. “It’s a shame that has to end.” She tilted waverlys chin firmly towards her and kissed her soundly on the lips. 

Waverly went rigid. Her body flushed with fear and rage. She had remained still as this monster stroked her hair and smelt her, but this was too much. Waverly made a smothered noise and jerked away. 

The woman chuckled humorlessly. “Whats the matter cutie, only like gingers?”

Waverly shook her head and refused to answer. She wouldn’t gratify that asshole with a response.

The woman wrenched waverlys head back again. “You answer me when I talk to you,” she seethed. Her eyes bored into waverly. 

Waverly glared as she was forced to look this woman in the face. “Fuck you,” she spat through clenched teeth. 

The womans face spasmed then she smiled coldly. “Im not really into girls…but maybe later.” She trailed a hand along the back of waverlys neck and smiled as waverly shivered. The hand traveled down to slide around waverlys waist. The woman rested her head on waverlys shoulder, one hand still sunk into her captives hair, and pulled wavelry back against her. 

Nicole ground her teeth as she watched, her breath ragged. Rage and fear battled across her face as was unable to rescue her love. 

Waverly cringed and shivered at this horrible womans touch. She couldn’t help but jerk and try to wriggle away but the woman held her in an iron grip. 

“Mm, feisty,” the woman purred. “I can see why you like her, nicole.” 

“Don’t,” desperately slipped out before nicole could stop it. She tried to push herself up, but her head weighed ten times what it normally did. She rose only a few inches before she slipped back down. 

The woman smiled triumphantly. “You see,” she said as she pressed her cheek against waverlys. “My boys were brilliant, and beautiful.” Waverly huffed doubtfully. If they were anything like their mother, they were truly awful. “But they were men after all.”

Nicole eyed they woman clutching her girlfriend and felt as if there was a hand around her heart. She wanted to search the room, figure out a plan, force herself to move. but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. 

The woman stroked a soft, almost mournful hand against waverlys cheek. Waverly grit her teeth but couldn’t pull away due to the hand staked in her hair. “Men don’t really understand what true suffering is. But women, we know, don’t we?” 

Waverly drew in short breaths. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t. She looked to nicole, so battered and beaten, but still desperately trying to fight back. 

The woman continued. She glanced at waverly then her eyes narrowed on nicole. “My Donnie wanted revenge for what you did to poor mikey. He wanted to hurt you, so he did that the best way he knew how.”

Waverly tried to shake herself loose. “Bastard! He got what he deserved.”

The woman raised her eyebrows. “Maybe. But then, so will nicole.” Waverly froze at those words. “Unfortunately for you…”

Nicole shook her head. “No.” She managed to snag the bed rail with one hand and held the other out towards the monster touching her girlfriend, her love, her reason for being.  
The woman smiled. She looked to waverly. “You see?” She grabbed waverlys chin and held it in place forcing her to stare at nicole as she reached out futilely. As if waverly could look anywhere else. No, her eyes were captured by nicole, her darling, as she valiantly battled and struggled to get to her, as if moving an inch were scaling a mountain. 

“Nicole knows where this is going. Have you figured it out yet?” The woman leaned even closer and whispered into waverlys ear. “I don’t just want to KILL dear nicole. No…I want her to TRULY suffer. I want to rip away anyone shes ever loved and destroy everything she holds dear. I want to burn her life to the very ground. And only once she is BEGGING for me to end it, will I allow her to die.” 

Her grip got tighter and tighter as she spoke but it wasn’t the pain that brought the tears to waverlys eyes. It was the pure, unadulterated hate that scathed against her cheek. Waverly gasped and tried to shake her head. 

“No,” nicole croaked. Her face twisted and she managed to slide a leg off the bed. “NO.” she said resolutely. She couldn’t quite lift her head off the pillow but she drug the other leg off, now laying on her side and clinging to the rail. “You want me…I killed him. Not waverly,” she sounded firm despite breathing in shallow pants. “You will. Hurt me…Just me.”

The woman smiled broadly and looked excitedly at waverly. “You see? I haven’t even started yet and she is already begging for me to hurt her.”

Waverly jerked ineffectually. “Shut up! You evil cow.” 

The woman tsked. “Waverly, im hurt.” She said in a mocking voice. She finally let go of waverly and shoved the smaller woman. 

Waverly jutted forward but caught herself on the bed. She got her balance, wrenched wrathfully against the cuffs and stared desperately at nicole.

The woman stepped away from waverly and walked ominously towards nicole, still struggling to move. “I hear my son gave you something special to remember him by. 

Nicoles eyes widened and her breath caught at the memory of the searing pain of the red hot blade. “No.”

“Yes. Now let me see them.” 

“Shut up you sick bitch! Stay away from her” waverly shouted. She twisted her hands angrily. 

The woman glanced over her shoulder to waverly. “Come now, waverly. I want to give you matching marks. Isn’t that considerate of me?”

“Go to hell, along with your sons!” Waverly retorted. 

Nicole drew in a deep breath. She tried to lunge as the woman drew near but she was too slow. The woman grabbed her and threw her back onto the bed. Nicole jerked an elbow and managed to clip her eye. The woman growled and dug her hand viciously into the bandage peaking out from under nicoles hospital gown. 

Nicole screamed and bucked wildly. The woman just jammed her fist even harder and smiled as nicole thrashed. Tears of agony spilled down nicoles cheeks and black spots filled her vision. She screamed and felt as if she would never stop. 

Waverly reacted to that scream instantly. Primally. Her vision narrowed, all thoughts fled and she knew only one thing; her need to get to GET TO NICOLE. Waverly jerked against the cuffs frantically. When they wouldn’t budge, she put a foot against the bed and shoved back with everything she had. She gasped due to the strain, but nothing happened. She held onto the foot of the bed and began kicking wildly at the foot board trying to wrench it free so she could move! 

The woman stepped back with a satisfied smile. She watched nicoles head rolled limply to the side. The gingers eyes flickered behind eyelids and she was drenched in sweat. The ragged rise and fall of the deputys chest made the womans lips curl even further. Looking over her shoulder she saw waverly hammering determinedly at the bed. 

For a moment she thought the brunette had succeeded and her eyes widened. Then she raised a hand over nicole. “Stop,” she commanded. Waverly couldn’t hear her so she smacked nicole across the face. “Stop, waverly.” Her voice was like ice. “Or else she will suffer.” 

Waverly slowly heard the womans words filter through. It took several more deep breaths before she was able to focus her eyes and form coherent thought. 

The woman approached and it took everything in waverly not to lash out at her. The woman chuckled at waverlys barely contained rage. The tiny brunette was practically simmering from it. 

The woman chuckled condescendingly. “Don’t worry waverly. It will be your turn soon enough.” 

Waverly ignored her and inspected her work on the bed. She wasn’t an expert but it looked like a few more kicks might do it. Her attention snapped back to the monster in front of her, however, at the sound of a blade clanking against the bed rail. 

The woman smiled as waverlys eyes widened. She glanced to nicole who was struggling to rejoin them in consciousness. She brought it up and waggled it for waverly. “I told you it would be your turn.” 

She struck like a snake, moving before waverly could react. She kicked waverly in the back of her legs and buried her fingers in waverlys hair once again as waverly dropped to her knees. The other hand brought the knife up in front of waverlys face so she could see it in gruesome detail. It was covered in dried blood, nicoles or donnies, waverly wasn’t sure.   
Nicole blinked and forced herself to open her eyes. Waverly. She had to get to waverly. Nicole saw waverly on her knees with that hideous woman standing over her, holding THAT KNIFE in her loves face. Nicole didn’t make a sound or hesitate. She rolled and began her monumental task of getting out of bed all over again. 

The woman saw nicole wake and take in the situation. She could respect the gingers gusty determination. It also made what was about to come even more fun. “Tisk tisk, nicole. Lets not get ahead of ourselves.” 

Nicole hesitated at the sight of the knife held against her loves throat. But only a moment. She kept pushing, kept moving, she couldn’t stop. waverly was depending on her. “Thought you wanted…to see. Marks.” Nicole gasped out. She pulled and hauled her uncooperative body. Her narrow focus and her entire being existed simply to get to waverly.

The woman frowned. She let the knife trail lazily against waverlys skin. 

Nicole kept moving. She had both feet hanging off and an almost steady grip on the rail. Her head bobbed and wavered but her voice was steady as she challenged, “Why..don’t you…come see?”

The woman shoved waverly forward slightly as she strode towards the ginger. Nicoles lips thinned. She had one shot at this, it had to work. When the woman leaned over her, nicole lunged. She clamped one hand down on the wrist holding the knife and heaved up. She flung herself at their tormentor and aimed for the throat. 

The woman jerked back in surprise. The hand on her wrist was surprisingly strong. Unfortunately for nicole, her legs were not. She threw her weight forward as she fell and was gratified in taking the woman down with her. 

The woman yowled, outraged. She punched nicole in the face and the grip on her wrist loosened then clamped down again. She struck out again even harder and nicoles jaw clacked together roughly. The woman shoved nicole off and quickly straddled her. 

Nicole sputtered and spit blood, barely aware of her gown being cut haphazardly down the front. The woman whipped back the shredded garment and whistled appreciatively. Whether for nicoles toned abs or the impressive collection of bruises courtesy of her son, waverly couldn’t be sure. She didn’t wait to find out though. She went back to hammering the foot of the bed.

She looked up again at the sound of bandages being ripped off. The woman exposed the ugly, raw burns on nicole with a garish smile. She leaned forward and pressed one finger into the burn on nicoles chest. She slowly increased the pressure until nicole was writhing underneath her. 

The woman captured nicoles hands when they struggled and slammed them onto the floor. Her weight on nicoles hips locked the deputy in place in her weakened state. The woman leaned further into nicole and delighted in the gingers tortured screams. She let go of nicoles hands and dug her second hand into the burn at nicoles waist, ecstatic in the way the ginger heaved and rolled beneath her. 

Finally she leaned back. She looked back to waverly and smiled at the brunettes relentless attempts to break free. Waverly was unaware of the blood trickling down her hands in rivulets or the splotches on the floor growing in size. All she knew was nicole. In pain. Needing her. 

The woman laughed. It was cruel and cold and triumphant. She trailed her hands down nicoles exposed torso. She continued to laugh, an evil corrupted laugh that sent a shiver down waverlys spine. She stilled her frantic movements and stared in anticipation and horror at what the woman was going to do next to her love. 

With an eye to waverly, the woman tilted nicoles face towards her own. She wiped away the blood that trickled from nicoles mouth. “I can see why you like her,” she said slyly over her shoulder to waverly. “It must be amazing to ride her.”

Waverly went white with rage. For once she didn’t have any words. 

“I know I enjoyed it. Not that we’ve even gotten to the good part yet. Have we?” She raised an eyebrow at waverly. She let her hand run down nicoles long, mottled colored body again. “Maybe I should take your advice and have a go at girls?”

Waverlys lips thinned and her nostrils flared. “Why don’t you have a go at a cyanide pill. I hear theyre all the rage with evil maniacs.”

The woman just tisked at waverly as nicole groaned and stirred. She had a wicked gleam in her eye as she rested a hand on nicoles breast and squeezed. 

Nicoles eyes cracked open and she sucked in a breath. She saw the leering face infront of her and spat again. She clumsily lunged for the knife. The woman grabbed for nicoles hands and there was a brief, mostly one sided, struggle. 

Waverly held her breath, unable to see what was happening. Then nicole stiffened and the woman slowly got back to her feet. “NO! Baby!” waverly desperately tried to break free. “Nicole!”

Nicole lifted her head at the sound of waverly calling her name. She dumbly put a hand to her L side then held it up, as if confused by the red coating her fingers. She pressed both hands to her side and tried to staunch the blood flowing from it. 

“NO!” waverlys eyes flicked to the woman as she approached. “You bitch!” she spat at her. 

The woman smiled at her and licked the tip of the blade. Her eyes closed momentarily in ecstasy. She chuckled and looked back to waverly. “She tastes good, doesn’t she?” The woman looked side eyed at her. “Though you probably taste a different part of her.” 

Waverlys entire body was stiff with rage. “You shut your filthy mouth!” 

“Oh, I take it you like the way she tastes too.” She came behind waverly and dug fingers into the back of waverlys neck. She kicked waverlys knees and forced her to kneel. Then she brought the knife up, now dripping with nicoles fresh blood. 

Waverlys nostrils flared. She tried to jerk away as the woman rubbed the blade against her cheek. Waverlys eyes teared at the feel of nicoles warm blood smeared on her face. The hot breath whispered into her ear made her shudder. “Will it make you feel better if I told you that she will be joining you shortly? Or that I will let her live?” 

Waverly blinked away tears and shook her head. She looked to nicole who now crawled towards her. There was a dark streak of blood staining the floor. 

The woman moved back around to face waverly. “Lets see what we have, shall we?” She didn’t wait for a response. She simply reached down and sliced open the front of waverlys top. She smiled and winked at waverly. “Damn girl.” She looked to nicole scrabbling with her fingers, dragging herself forward. “Damn nicole. Lucky girl.” 

“Don’t you talk to her,” waverly shouted. She stared helplessly at nicole. It tore at her heart to have nicole so close and not be able to help her, save her. Her love was bleeding out all over the floor right in front of her, and all her darling wanted, was to get to her. waverly blinked and swallowed thickly. 

The woman pulled out a lighter. She held up the knife and looked down at waverly. She tilted her head. “Sorry dear.” 

A rough “Go to hell,” was waverlys only response. 

Nicoles eyes widened at the lighter. She ground her teeth at the sight of the knife and waverly trapped, kneeling helplessly. She wanted to scream in rage. Instead she lurched forward. She would get to her love. She panted and her vision narrowed. She would get to waverly. Waverly. Waverly. 

The woman trilled at the fear that ran through waverly. She brought the knife down to waverlys eye level and stared at the brunette as the flame licked the blade. 

Waverly shook her head and felt tears slick down her face. She looked to nicole and her heart contracted at the blood pooling on the floor and the paleness of her loves beautiful face. “I love you, nicole haught.”

“Oh how sweet,” the woman scorned. Waverly just glared at her, still on her knees. The woman stepped closer. She dropped the lighter onto the bed and grabbed waverly by the neck. She leaned down and licked the tears mingling with nicoles blood off waverlys face. 

“Mmmm. Even better.” The woman said with a giggle. The she returned the lighter to the blade. “We will do the hip first, yes?”

Waverly twisted at the cuffs and snarled. 

“Come now dear. Cooperate or poor nicole will suffer more.” 

The door slammed open. “YOU better cooperate or you are going to suffer.” Wynonna strode into the room with donut frosting on her nose, peacemaker pointed unwaveringly at the womans head and the half eaten donut held at her side.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the villain dispatched and wayhaught rescued
> 
> Much love to all those who left comments! Comments make my day!!!

The woman turned and yanked waverly up onto her feet as a human shield. “Mmm. I don’t think so.” She held the knife to waverlys throat. “I think I will take waverly here and be on my way. We still have so much unfinished business.” She tightened a possessive hand around waverlys exposed midrift.

Wynonna scoffed. “Listen Gerdy.” Waverlys eyes widened. Wynonna nodded to her. “Yep, her name is Gertrude Eunice.”

Despite the circumstances, or maybe because of them, waverly snorted. “No wonder youre so mean, with a name like that.” Her voice cut off as the blade pressed harder into her neck.

Wynonnas eyes narrowed. “I don’t really care who you are or what you came to do. Stop now, while you still can.” 

The womans face contorted. She snarled. “Who do you think you are, girl?”

Wynonna smirked. “Im not the one who brought a knife to a gun fight.” Gerdys eyes just narrowed and she pressed harder into waverlys neck until a thin line of red appeared. 

Wynonna tilted her head. “No?” Her voice hardened. “I am the great great granddaughter of the greatest law man who ever lived. I was taught to shoot by the greatest gunslinger that ever lived. I am wynonna god damned earp.” She cocked the hammer of peacemaker. “And you, are the asshole, who made the colossal mistake of laying your grubby hands ON MY SISTER. 

The woman just raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Are we going to stand here all day? Or are we going to come to an agreement? I mean, I am ALL for letting poor nicole bleed out on the floor…” Her eyes never left wynonnas and she smiled as wynonna quickly flicked her gaze to nicole. Fear flashed across wynonnas face even though she tried to hide it. 

The woman adjusted her grip and held waverly closer. “So, like I said-“ She broke off, startled, and looked down at the warm, wet grip on her ankle. Like in a zombie horror movie, nicole growled and clawed at the womans ankle. In that moment, wynonna fired, and like usual, she didn’t miss. 

The woman didn’t make a sound as she collapsed back, landing half ontop of nicole. 

Wynonna flung her donut aside and ran forward. She reached for waverly who merely shook her head violently. “Nicole,” she cried out in an anguished voice. 

Wynonna nodded and slid to her knees next to nicole, who was now alarmingly still. She heaved the dead Gerdy off the injured deputy with a sickened grunt. “Oh my god,” wynonna uttered. There was a pool of blood and for a moment, wynonna wasn’t even sure if nicole was still breathing. She hesitantly reached out and felt for a pulse. 

With a sigh of relief wynonna grabbed nicoles shoulders and tried to roll her over. Wynonnas knees slipped in the blood and she readjusted her hands with a grumble. “Son of a bitch haught, when did you get this heavy?”

Dimly wynonna was aware of waverly shouting for help and banging a foot desperately against the bed. She heard a radio crackle and started yelling herself. “Randy Nedley! Get your ass in here. We need your help!”

Sheriff nedley burst in the open door with his gun drawn. He nearly dropped it as he took in the scene. He could barely tear his gaze away from his favorite deputy, his daughter, unmoving on the floor, as he quickly uncuffed waverly from the bed. 

Waverly shot to nicoles side and with wynonna they flipped nicole onto her back. Waverly cradled nicoles face in her hands. “Nicole! Baby?!” she rocked back and forth on her knees without realizing it. 

When they had flipped nicole over, her sliced open gown slid back. Wynonna quickly pulled it down so it covered her and pressed both hands to the wound in nicoles side. “Nedley!” wynonna shouted, trying to shake the sheriff from his horrified reverie. “Get the doctor, damn it!” 

Nedley blinked then ran out the door without another thought. 

Waverly looked to wynonna and the blood she was now (mostly) staunching and her loves pale face. her eyes were wide and terrified and she couldn’t breathe. “Nicole!” she leaned down and kissed her darling on the lips. “Please, don’t leave me!” She brushed back nicoles hair and stared desperately, willing the ginger to wake up. 

Nicole blinked. She thought she might be in heaven. She didn’t hurt anymore, she just felt cold. And waverly was there with her. holding her, talking to her, stroking her hair. Nicole blinked again and tried to focus. Suddenly it all came rushing in. She heard waverly talking to her and footsteps running. She saw wynonna doggedly pressing on her side, as if sheer will alone could hold back the sea of red threatening to spill out. 

She saw nedley charge into the room, his face pale as he led the pack of doctors. She looked into waverlys face and saw her own love reflected there. Her girlfriend cupped her cheeks and kissed her determinedly until suddenly she was on a stretcher and being wheeled down the hallway. The bright lights flashed faster and faster as they ran past, but she knew waverly was there with her, holding her hand. She looked over and smiled at waverly. Her waverly. Despite everything she still felt a thrill at this thought. Then all she knew was blackness. 

 

They stopped waverly at the door of the operating room. Watching the stretcher carrying nicole go on without her felt like it was going to tear her own heart out. Waverlys knees gave and wynonna was there to catch her. Waverly didn’t question it, she just turned her head into her sister shoulder and cried. She felt wynonnas strong arms hold her and stroke her hair. She heard her sisters soothing voice and allowed herself to sob. She clutched onto her sister as if holding on to the only thing keeping her on the face of the earth.

Wynonna sat awkwardly on the cold hospital tile, cramming her sister safely, protectively, into her chest. She didn’t know how long they stayed that way but it was long enough for both her legs to go numb. Eventually though, Waverlys ragged breathing slowly became less harsh. Her shoulders stopped shaking and the sobs seemed to have diminished. Wynonna still gently stroked her sisters hair. She placed a kiss on waverlys forehead. “Waverly,” she said in attempt to get her sisters attention.

Waverly just murmured and kept her eyes shut. She didn’t want to move or the spell would be broken. The feeling that time was frozen and everything was okay, would evaporate faster than whiskey around wynonna. 

Wynonna tried again. She leaned waverly up and held onto her arms. “Waverly,” she said gently, “the doctor needs to look at you.”

Waverlys eyes blazed open. “No! They need to be taking care of nicole! What-“

Wynonna cut her off, still speaking softly. “The surgeons ARE taking care of nicole. But the doctor needs to make sure you are alright too.” Waverlys face remained defiant. “Nicole would want me to make sure that you are okay.” wynonna continued when waverly remained impassive. “She will be so upset when she comes back and sees you covered in blood.” 

Waverlys eyes widened. Then she looked down at herself. She finally saw her hands coated in blood, with trails of red weaving from wrist to elbow. Her top was still hacked open showing her aquamarine bra. And nicoles blood was still plastered to her face. 

Waverly slapped a hand to her face and started scrubbing violently. Wynonna stopped her. “We will get it off, baby girl, don’t worry.” Waverly sniffed and nodded. She finally saw the doctor waiting anxiously for her. with a nod to wynonna, waverly started to her feet. Wynonna caught her when she stumbled and wrapped a steady arm around her baby sister and steered her after the hovering doctor. 

They passed Nedley in the hallway, still looking ashen. Waverly stiffened and pulled an arm away from wynonna. She poked a hand at nedleys chest. “Where were you? What happened?! What happened to your 24 hour protection?” 

Sheriff nedley let waverly jab at him without trying to put up any defense. His shoulders were bowed and his eyes blinked back tears. “I think Lonnie will be alright. They are checking him out…”

Waverlys mouth snapped shut. “Oh. Sheriff nedley, im sorry. Im just…Im so worried…” Waverlys knees buckled and Nedley helped wynonna scoop her up. 

Nedley finally met waverlys eyes. he gave a ghost of a smile. “I know.” He looked over wavelrys shoulder to where nicole had been whisked away. “Nicole is a very important member of this community and this police force. She-“ Nedley cleared his throat. “She is very special… To me as well.” 

The doctor quickly ushered them into the nearest room and wynonna set down her baby sister on the bed. She grasped one hand, nedley took the other.

“Shes going to be all right. Tell me shes going to be alright?” Waverly pleaded. She looked to wynonna and then nedley. 

Nedley cleared his throat and said gruffly. “nicole is the strongest person I know. Shes not going anywhere.”

Wynonna squeezed waverlys hand. “Nicole is going to be just fine. She is way too much of a stickler to let some asshole wanna be mobster, kill her.” 

Waverly nodded. The doctor had urgently donned gloves and set out her equipment. Now she efficiently and thoroughly checked out waverly. When she had ascertained all she needed, she gently started applying bandages to waverlys cut and chaffed wrists. 

With a quick nod, she left waverly to the care of her family and went to go raise hell about the atrocities that just took place. 

Waverly laid back, completely exhausted. She held Nedleys and wynonnas hand. She started slightly when Nedley spoke unexpectedly. 

“Nicole loves you so much. I remember last year, thinking how happy she was, but I couldn’t figure out why. Until you walked in, and I saw her face.”

Waverlys chin trembled. She was glad for wynonnas snippy comment so she didn’t start crying again. 

“Yeah, Haughtpants has no chill.”

Nedley continued. “Shes like a daughter to me…” His throat tightened. “Im so glad that you are there for her. That she has someone who can make her smile…”

Waverly blinked and nodded. Wynonna wiped a tear from her sisters face. “I know how much you love nicole, baby girl. She loves you just as much and shes not going anywhere.”   
Waverly nodded again. she blew out a deep breath. 

Wynonnas phone pinged, followed quickly by nedleys. They both read the message and then looked at each other. 

“You go.” Wynonna looked to waverly then back at nedley. “Give them the official version. When you get back I will have MY turn.”

Nedley slowly smiled. “You have my word.” He squeezed waverlys hand then hauled himself to his feet and left surprisingly quickly.

“What was that about? what do you mean, your turn?”

“Nothing to worry about baby girl.” Wynonna brushed off waverlys questions. She went to the sink and wet a washclothe with warm water and filled a small dish. She returned and sat on the bed. Taking a hand she gently started to scrub the blood off waverly. “Tell me what happened,” she urged softly.

Waverly felt her chin wobble again. “Oh. It was awful!” Waverly slowly poured her heart out about each horrible, terrifying detail of what had occurred. Wynonna listened to it, all the while carefully cleaning the red from her baby sister. 

“She was disguised as a nurse and she nearly poisoned nicole to death. I…I thought she was…for a moment. She…she made me put on the handcuffs and t-tortured N-Nicole and there was n-nothing, NOTHING I could do…” 

Wynonna shushed her and gently wiped the tears from waverlys face. 

“She was so hurt and so drugged and and being t-tortured, but all she wanted to do was protect me. Get to me.” Waverlys voiced twisted in anguish. “That witch tore open nicoles gown and ripped off her bandages covering the burns. She dug her hands into them and wou-wouldn’t stop. No matter how much nicole s-screamed. She just smiled, like a maniac. An-and said s-she wanted to r-ri…ride nicole. That maybe she wanted to have a go at girls. She wouldn’t stop TOUCHING her!” waverlys voiced choked off.

Wynonna felt her stomache clench in horror, but calmly re-wet the wash clothe with more warm water. 

“She wanted to hurt me t-to make nicole suffer, but nicole wouldn’t let her. She was going to use the k-knife to give me burns too. J-just like nicoles. But after-after everything…nicole kept fighting. She went for the knife…” waverlys voice trailed off and she sniffed. 

“That evil bitch stabbed her?” wynonna supplied.

Waverly nodded, holding her breath in an attempt not to cry. “She came for me. Licked the blood-nicoles b-blood, off the blade. Said how good...nicole t-tasted.” Waverlys shoulders quivered. “smeared her blood all over my face…it was s-still warm.” Waverly put her hands to her face and cried. 

Wynonna held her in a tight hug. She brushed the hair from waverlys face. She rocked her sister back and forth for quite some time. Then she gently lowered the hands from waverlys face. She rubbed the warm washclothe over nicoles dried blood. “Then what happened?”

Waverly bit her lip. “Nicole was bleeding like crazy, all over the floor and there was NOTHING I could do. I couldn’t…I couldn’t DO anything…my poor baby.” Waverlys voice caught. “The whole time that cretin had me on my knees, threatening to burn me with that knife, that was still covered in nicoles blood, nicole was trying to get to me. Crawling on the floor…” 

Wynonna finally set down the washclothe. The water was now pink. She took waverly back into her arms. “Well it’s a good thing haughtpants is so tough. No one is going to mess with you when she is around. Shes way too tough to allow a simple STABBING to keep her from you.”

Waverly lips twitched in a tiny smile. “Good thing you showed up when you did.”

“Yeah, good thing I let Jeremy interrupt my doughnut run and answered my phone.”

Waverly looked up at wynonna in surprise. “Yep. He knew something was wrong and wouldn’t let me do anything else but come and check on you.”

“Aww.” Waverly snuggled bak into wynonna. “I will have to thank him with some vegan icecream.”

“Yuck. I mean, he will love it.” wynonna held her sister tight and waited for news about nicole. 

 

Nedley strode into the sheriffs department and made a bee line for the holding cell. Inside he found dolls and doc harassing two men tied down to chairs. Nedley stopped and eyed them. He casually put his hands on his belt. “Well now boys, what have we here?”

One of the goons tried to speak but doc smacked him in the face. “Sheriff Nedley was not addressing you, junior. So you shut your trap.” 

Dolls stepped forward. “Two midlevel henchmen, here to protect the recently deceased.” 

Both men whipped their heads to look at Dolls. Sheriff Nedley took a step forward and slowly opened the door to the cell. “That’s right boys. Your boss is dead.” He walked deliberately towards them. “And I AM the boss in these parts. And I don’t particularly like the mob sending hired guns into my town, to hurt my people.” He stopped just before his knees brushed the legs of the captive men. “So the question now, is, what to do with you?”

One of the mans eyes flit around the cell. “B-but you are law, you cant-“

Sheriff nedley smiled. “I think you are forgetting that you came here to kill my favorite deputy…”

The man visibly swallowed. Nedley continued, “And I cant do anything to help you, im afraid. Because I have no knowledge of your existence…” Nedley nodded to Dolls then Doc. “Wynonna will be along shortly. Im sure I will be busy all day at the hospital, looking out for my d-looking out for nicole. So the office will be empty. Just so you know.” 

Dolls smiled, which was an eery thing to see. “Understood and appreciated sheriff. I wouldn’t worry about anything while you are at the hospital.” He winked. 

Sheriff nedley smiled wolfishly. He nodded, put his hat back on and walked out without looking back. 

 

Waverly shifted in wynonnas arms. She had put on the change of clothes that Jeremy had brought. She smiled at the thought of Jeremy going determinedly around town picking up all of nicoles favorite foods. Atleast nicole would be well nourished if…no WHEN she got back. 

Suddenly both women sat bolt upright. Hospital staff wheeled nicole in on a bed and parked it next to waverlys. Waverly jumped up and reached for her love. 

Wynonna was right behind her. She looked up to the doctor who stood in the doorway. “How is she?” Wynonna demanded.

The doctor gave a tired smile. “She is going to be just fine. The anesthesia will wear off soon and the blade missed everything important. Now what she needs is rest, a bit more blood, and she will be up and moving in no time.”

Waverly nearly sobbed with relief. She cupped nicoles sleeping face. “You hear that nicole?” She rested her forehead against her loves. “You are going to be just fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> papa nedley is totally a thing. (also, just wondering since wynonna is always warning nicole against hurting waverly, if nedley ever had a chat with waverly?)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The END.

Nedley returned to find nicole back and sleeping peacefully. Waverly lay in the bed next to her, stroking her thumb slowly on nicoles hand. Wynonna stood up when she saw nedley and offered him her chair. 

Nedley smiled in relief at nicole then nodded to wynonna. “I let the boys know that I will be at the hospital all day…and unavailable,” he said meaningfully. 

Wynonna smiled. “Don’t worry. I don’t think there will be anything that will require your attention.” She placed a kiss on waverlys forehead, then after a moments hesitation ran a gentle hand through nicoles hair. “I will be back soon, baby girl.”

“Where-?” But waverly cut off when wynonna pranced out of view. 

She smiled at nedley when he sat down with a sigh. “Shes going to be alright,” she told him. 

“Oh thank goodness,” Nedley breathed a huge sigh of relief and shared a smile with waverly. 

 

Wynonna strode into the sheriffs station and marched to the holding cell. Clanging the keys obnoxiously she unlocked the door and kicked it open with her foot. Dolls and Doc stood back from their captives with cocky smiles, as if presenting wynonna with the greatest gift ever. 

Wynonna met the eyes of the two very different men she loved, then smirked at the two restrained assclowns. One face remained impassive, the other looked incredulous. He half turned back towards Dolls and flinched back when Dolls smacked him on the back of the head. “This is who we’re waiting for?” he muttered under his breath. 

Unfortunately he wasn’t quite soft enough and earned a punch from doc. “Show some respect,” Doc instructed. 

Wynonna chuckled. “Oh hunny, you haven’t seen nothing yet.” She started forward as she stared at the two men tied to chairs, bruised and bleeding slightly. Her mouth thinned. She clenched and unclenched her fists, still flecked with nicoles blood. She heard nicoles ragged screaming echoing on forever, saw waverlys anguished face handcuffed to the bed, felt nicoles warm blood coat her fingers… 

Wynonna struck. One, and then the other. Again and again and again. Finally she turned around abruptly and drew in several deep breaths. She rolled her shoulders and shook herself slightly like a dog shaking off water. Eventually she returned and stood in front of the men again. 

“Whats youre names?”

The one who had been incredulous before refused to answer. 

Wynonna frowned. “Would you prefer to continue to be referred to as that asshat?”

The man with the poker face answered. “Im paulie and that’s Ted.”

Wynonnas mouth quirked. “Mikey, Donnie, paulie…and ted?” she chuckled. “Sure okay, why not?” wynonna looked to Dolls and Doc then back at their prisoners. “So, boys, heres how I see it. We have two options, one of which is going to suck for you.” 

“I choose the other one,” paulie said firmly. Ryan just scowled. 

“You haven’t heard what they are yet.” Dolls reminded him.

Paulie shrugged at wynonna. “You are debating what to do with us. Kill us, or let us go.”

Wynonna pointed. “Ten points for goon number one.”

“But youre worried if you let us go, we might still be a threat.” Paulie continued clearly.

“Sounds about right,” Dolls agreed. 

“You let us go, we would never have any reason to return.” Paulie said earnestly. Ted just whipped his head towards his companion. 

“Uh oh,” Doc observed. “Looks like your partner disagrees.”

Wynonna leaned closer. “Your man boss is dead. Your lady boss is dead. I killed them both” wynonna hissed. “I can understand why that might make some inclined to want revenge.” She looked Ted in the eye. She shrugged and leaned back. “But it also looks like one hell of a business opportunity if you ask me.” She looked to paulie. “Time for one of you to get a promotion…?”

Ted scoffed. “we’re no traitors.”

“Refusing to follow a bad leader isn’t traitorous, especially if that person is dead.” Doc reasoned. 

Paulies eyes were calculating. He looked to Ted and then back to wynonna. “I think its time the family had new blood.” He glanced at the man next to him when he gasped. “And maybe I can…reason…with my friend here.”

“Help explain that there is no need to come back to purgatory?”

He smiled and winked. “Why would we ever want to come back to such a small, backwater, hick of a town? Certainly not a good place for business.”

Wynonnas eyes narrowed. “And if others think they want to avenge recent events?...”

“They are going to have a hard time finding purgatory with no eyes.”

Wynonna smiled. Doc gave a harsh laugh. “A man who knows how to get things accomplished.”

Dolls stepped forward. “See that you do. Our hospitality for any future…family, will be less than exceptional.” 

Paulie swallowed and nodded. He looked to Ted as he groaned his disagreement. “I understand.” He looked back to wynonna. “You may be the sexiest lady to ever punch me, but im more than willing to never see anyone of you ever again.”

Wynonna smiled and clapped a rough hand on his shoulder. “We feel exactly the same.” She nodded to dolls and doc who untied paulie. Paulie stood and clamped both hands on Teds shoulders. “Don’t worry, I will take care of my friend here.” He squeezed his hands until ted flinched. 

Wynonna tilted her head then turned on her heel and walked out. There was a spring in her step as she made her way back to the hospital and her loved ones there. 

 

Nicoles blinked and slowly cracked open her eyes. She started and then chuckled. “C-calamity jane,” nicole tried. Her throat was so dry. She looked past the giant ginger furball making a bed on her chest and saw nedley sitting in a chair next to her bed reading…Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? Nicole squinted because surely that couldn’t be right. 

“Nicole!”

Nicole turned her head to waverlys voice and smiled brightly. Her girlfriend was in a hospital bed next to hers and the railings were down and the beds pressed together. 

“Waverly,” she croaked. 

Waverly laughed and carefully cupped nicoles face. She leaned forward and gently kissed her darling. “Im so glad youre okay.” 

Nicole just beamed at waverly. She thread her fingers through waverlys and squeezed. “Im not going anywhere.”

“That’s what we kept telling her,” Nedley said gruffly. He rested the book on his lap and leaned forward. “How are you feeling, nicole?” 

Nicole frowned. “I feel funny.”

“Funny how?” nedley inquired. 

“Youre not getting a fever again are you?” waverly asked anxiously. 

Nicole scrunched her face. “I feel all floaty. I should hurt…but I don’t.”

Waverly laughed in relief. “Yeah, you are actually getting all of your pain medication this time.” She looked to the IV that was taped securely to nicoles arm. “No chance for any ‘accidents’ this time.” 

Nicoles eyes widened. She looked around in a panic. “What happened? Waverly! Are you okay?”

Waverly put calming hands on nicoles shoulders. “Im okay baby. Im just fine. And so are you. We got the bastards. She’s gone.”

Nicole nodded and slowly relaxed back onto the bed. she looked to nedley. “Do I need to write a report about what happened?” she asked dejectedly. 

Nedleys lip quirked. “How about we forget the report, just this once?”

Nicole smiled and nodded. “Sounds…” her voice trailed off as she dropped into sleep. 

Nedley and waverly watched the ginger sleep for several moments. Then nedley shifted. “Well I suppose I should go…”

Waverly shook her head but before she could say anything nicoles eyes popped open. “No.” She reached out a hand. “Don’t go.”

Nedley took nicoles hand and looked slightly pink with pleasure. “Well I suppose I could stay a while.” 

“Good.” nicole murmured. She held firmly to nedleys hand then her eyes closed again. 

Waverly couldn’t help but smile. She stroked her thumb slowly against nicoles. 

Nicole blinked again and looked happily to her fingers interlocked with waverlys. She started up. “Waverly youre hurt!”

Waverly quickly put a reassuring hand against nicoles arm. “Shhh. Its nothing baby. Just a little scratch. Im fine.” 

Nicole slowly relaxed. Calamity jane returned to her spot on nicoles chest with a displeased meow. “Sorry girl.” The cat gave her an affectionate head butt. Nicole laughed and brought both hands up to scratch the cat behind the ears. “Youre soooo fluffy,” nicole informed the cat. She picked up calamity jane and nuzzled noses. “Im the fluffiest kitty there ever was,” nicole said in a babyish sing song voice. She giggled at the cats meowed protests and let calamity jane go. The ginger animal swished and twitched her tail indignantly then perched on nicoles chest. Nicole smiled then drifted to sleep again.

Waverly eyed the two sleeping gingers then looked at nedley. “How did you manage to bring calamity jane in here.”

Nedley just shrugged. “Hospitals can be quite forgiving when one of their patients almost dies because of their inept security and complete lack of following protocol.”

Waverly just raised her eyebrows and smiled appreciatively. “Well thank you for bringing her. Nicole really...”

“She will be just fine,” nedley reminded waverly. 

Waverly cleared her throat. “Yes.”

Nicole opened her eyes again when wynonna breezed into the room. “Wynonna!” She practically shouted. She flung her arms out which startled calamity jane. Nedley quickly swooped in and rescued the cat and cuddled her safely to his chest. 

Wyonna raised an eyebrow at nicole but entered into the proffered hug. She was surprised how quickly nicoles enthusiastic hug changed to a tearful embrace. She was leaned over clumsily and shot waverly a startled look as nicole started to cry. “Hey there nicole? Whats wrong?” She awkwardly patted nicoles shoulder.

Nicole sniffed and squeezed wynonna harder. She tried to answer but just shook. 

Wynonna sat on the bed and adjusted so she held nicole tightly. She rested her chin on the top of nicoles head and stroked nicoles hair soothingly. “Its okay. Youre okay.” wynonna held onto nicole until the gingers grip relaxed and she started snoring lightly. 

Waverly laughed and helped wynonna lay nicole back down. She patted the bed and scooted over to make room for her sister. Waverly sighed contentedly as she took nicoles hand and wynonna snuggled beside her. She looked at her bandaged covered wrist next to her loves and frowned. “Guess we got matching wounds after all,” she said to wynonna. 

Wynonna frowned. “Because you are a badass and gerdy can go rot in hell.” 

Nicole whimpered slightly at the name but quieted when waverly shushed her. waverly smiled at wynonna. “You have such a way with words.” 

“Hell ya I do. And im right too.” 

Waverly nodded in agreement. “Tell me its over.” 

Wynonna grinned viscously. “Oh its over.”

“Good.” waverly relaxed into the bed with a sigh. She watched her love sleep, reassured by the steady rise and fall of nicoles chest. 

Nicole blew out a deep breath and smacked her lips loudly. “Im thirsty.” Her eyes popped open. 

Waverly smiled and reached to the tray table beside the bed. “Here babe, drink some water.” 

Nicole took the cup and tried several times before she was able to get the straw to work. “Woops,” she mumbled dribbling some water down her chin. Waverly smiled and helped mop up the front of nicoles gown and face. Nicole caught waverlys hand and stared at her intently. She pulled waverly closer and leaned forward…but got distracted when calamity jane meowed loudly. 

Nicole sat back laughing. “I think nedley is trying to steal my cat,” she whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear. 

“Oh hey, someone needs to take care of the creature while you are indisposed.” He held calamity jane up and rubbed under her chin. “Its not your fault your mommys in the hospital.” 

Nicole immediately teared up. “Im sorry calamity jane. I didn’t mean to leave you.” She reached mournfully to her cat and scratched her ear. 

Waverly frowned and glared at nedley then put a reassuring hand on nicoles shoulder. “Its okay nicole. Its not your fault. Calamity jane knows that.”

“Oh, okay.” nicole relaxed again. She reached for waverlys hand and leaned over to snuggle her head into her darlings shoulder. Waverly rested her arm around nicole and pulled her close. She kissed the ginger softly on the forehead. “Ive got you. Its okay.” she whispered to nicole. 

Nicole jumped when dolls and doc strode into the room. “Hey!” She sat up and flung her arms out the way she had for wynonna. The boys looked only slightly taken aback when she drew them both into a giant hug. “Thank you!” She kissed dolls on the cheek. “Both of you. You are both so amazing.” She let go and grabbed docs hat as she sat back. She promptly put it on her head. She turned to waverly and wynonna. “Shhh. I stole docs hat.” Nicole giggled. 

Doc opened his mouth to protest but shut it at the slap on the shoulder from dolls. 

“Do you think I make a good cowboy?” nicole slurred slightly to waverly with a raised eyebrow. 

“You look top shelf, haught.” Wynonna answered. Waverly had to agree, her girlfriend did look pretty damn hot in docs hat. 

Dolls mouth quirked and he couldn’t help but smile. “Im glad to see you feeling better nicole. You had us all worried there.”

“Thank you for making sure my waverly was safe,” nicole responded seriously. 

“And you too, miss haught.” Doc rested his hands on his gunbelt. “We will GLADLY put anyone who hurts you in their proper place.” 

Nicoles chin quivered but she smiled. Waverly squeezed her hand. 

Dolls went on. “You wont have to worry about anymore trouble from the city. We eliminated the problem.” 

“Yeah, and when he says eliminate,” wynonna chimed in. “He means, I sent them to meet their maker….get it? Peace maker?” 

Nicole giggled and waverly rolled her eyes. Dolls tilted his head at wynonna. “We get it.” he agreed. 

Nicole was snoring softly again. Doc slowly reached over to take his hat back which was still jammed on nicoles head. Wynonna slapped his hand away. “Eck. You will get it back,” she chided. “Just wait.” 

Turns out doc didn’t have too wait long. Just a few minutes later Jeremy showed up with bags of food from all the places in purgatory it seemed like. 

Nicole popped up again and slung her arms around Jeremys neck. “Thank you for saving our lives.” She said solemnly. She placed a smooch on each side of his cheeks then leaned back with both hands on his shoulders. “I have a present for you,” she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear. Then she took docs hat and placed it on Jeremys head as if crowning him king.

Jeremy looked at the hat on his head and sighed in joy. He looked to Doc with both eyebrows raised and a giant smile on his face. Doc just shrugged.

“Sorry there jer bear,” waverly said apologetically. She took the hat from Jeremy and tossed it back to doc. “What did you all get? It looks like enough to feed an army of dragons.”

Jeremy snapped out of his Doc induced haze and clapped his hands together. “Only the best for our nicole.” 

Nicole watched ecstatically as Jeremy unveiled each new item. She clapped and squealed excitedly and placed dibbs on pretty much all of it but couldn’t manage to stay awake long enough to eat most of it. she did however, threaten to stab anyone she caught trying to eat her sea salt caramel chocolate truffle icecream. 

Wynonna watched nicole sporadically eat her icecream between snoozing and looked to dolls and doc laughing in the corner. They were throwing cheeseballs at Jeremy who was comically bad at catching them in his mouth. Waverly held onto nicole as if she never wanted to let go. 

Wynonna looked again at nicole and smiled. She leaned to waverly. “Shes safe now. 

 

“You know am perfectly capable of walking, right?” nicole grumbled over her shoulder. 

“We know that sweetie, but its hospital policy,” waverly stated as she pushed nicole in the wheel chair towards the hospital entrance.

Wynonna rolled her eyes. “Might as well just do what she says, haughtstuff. It’s a lot easier that way.” 

Waverly narrowed her eyes. “If by easier, you mean better and smarter and more practical, then yes.” 

Wynonna just rolled her eyes again and shared a knowing smile with nicole. 

 

They installed the recovering ginger at the homestead. Waverly made a nest of blankets and pillows on the couch where she could keep an eye on nicole during the day. Then at night she would relocate everything upstairs. 

Nicole for her part, was recovering, if slowly and painfully. The cuts and scraps were finally getting smaller. But the vicious bruises, especially to nicoles chest from the round she took, were slow to heal. The burns continued to throb agonizingly and daily ointment/bandage changes were required.

Nedley was a fixture at supper almost everynight. He usually brought food if waverly wasn’t cooking. (Wynonna was most definitely not included in the cooking rotation.) He usually also brought calamity jane with him and they couldnt get him to stop sharing endless stories of adorable cat antics. Not that any of them tried too hard. Wynonna would roll her eyes disparagingly but in truth she loved it. She loved having her family close, safe, together. 

At night, waverly would hover anxiously behind nicole as the ginger doggedly climbed the steps. She would help her love change into pjs and mournfully kiss the bruised and marred skin that those shit tickets had dared to damage. She would ignore wynonnas yelled reminder from downstairs that there was a household ‘no hanky panky while one of you has stitches’ rule and kiss nicole deeply before holding her tight. She would cradle nicole to her all night, soothing her love when she had nightmares, when she woke screaming. She would simply need to feel nicoles solid warmth surrounding her to chase away her own nightmares. Then she would lay awake stroking nicoles soft hair, thinking how the moonlight made the ginger look like a beautiful fairie. 

 

Several nights later, waverly settled nicole on the couch and went back to the kitchen. Wynonna shoved dishes haphazardly in the sink. Nedley had just left with the ginger furball. Wynonna chuckled as she thought about their own ginger currently curled on the couch. Waverly hummed to herself as she finished putting the leftovers into the fridge.

“What are we going to watch?” she called to nicole.

“I don’t care. Whatever you want.”

“Babe, you are the one who is injured, so you get to pick.” 

“Yeah, so pick good, haught stuff.” Wynonna chimed in. 

Nicole rolled her eyes and examined her options. But she got distracted when waverly came back and sat down. She turned to her darling and placed a hand on her leg. She nuzzled behind waverlys ear. “You smell so good,” she murmured. 

“Yeah?” waverly turned and kissed a bruise on nicoles cheek. Then several more on her neck, working her way lower…until wynonna came with the popcorn. 

“That’s it love birds. Remember the house rule.”

“No mixing wine with whiskey?” waverly joked.

Wynonna smacked waverly on the shoulder. “Nope. Now scoot over. I can clearly see that you two need to be separated.”

“What?”

“I don’t know why-“

Wynonna just ignored their squawks of protests and planted herself between the injured nicole and waverly. She was slightly surprised when nearly immediately into the movie nciole rested her head on her shoulder just like waverly was. It felt a bit odd, yet somehow, right. 

After only a half hour of the movie, wynonna and waverly became aware of soft snoring. They shared a look and a smile. “She really is cute when she sleeps, isn’t she?” Wynonna commented.

“Yeah she is!” waverly agreed wholeheartedly. 

Wynonna rolled her eyes and just brushed a soft kiss on nicoles forehead when the ginger whimpered in her sleep. Nicole responded to the touch by leaning further into wynonna and ended up with her head in wynonnas lap. 

Wynonna hesitated a moment. Then she rested her hand on nicoles shoulder. She pulled waverly closer to her and rested her head against her sisters. “I love you baby girl, ya know?”

Waverly nustled her nose into wynonnas shoulder. “I know. What about nicole?”

Wynonna swallowed. “Yeah, her too.”

Waverly smiled. “That’s part of the reason I love you so much, wynonna.”

Wynonna chuckled and relaxed. She held waverly close and slowly stroked nicoles hair, the sleeping gingers head still resting in her lap. She looked to the two women snuggled on the couch with her and felt something foreign; love, peace, contentment. She held her family close all night and the smile never left her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed that! That it made you feel something??  
> What would you like to see next? Lets go on another adventure together!


End file.
